Family Matters
by QueenNagaina
Summary: An surprise pregnancy changes everything for Twilight Sparkle and Big Macintosh. Help comes from unexpected places as they learn to live with the changes in their lives.
1. Chapter 1: Twilight's Big Surprise

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 1: Twilight's Big Surprise**

With an unflinching gait and resolute eyes, Twilight Sparkle tried to convey a sense of urgency as she walked past Sweet Apple Acres.

She had been struck each morning, for three weeks now, by serious heartburn. She would wake with the morning sun, her eyes not quite open as she attempted to turn away from the invading light. Then the heat would strike, coursing up her stomach then into her throat.

The occasional burp helped relieve the burning sensation. This unusual noise would wake up Spike; it was a noise he never heard from the usually reserved Twilight Sparkle. He would then spend the first part of the morning fussing over Twilight and cooking delicious food which suffused the library with a soul filling aroma. Unfortunately, all Twilight could stomach was a glass of milk in a vain attempt to relieve the burning. Spike's delicious breakfast would end up becoming a cold, slightly stale lunch.

She worked through a series of medicines; some prescribed by a doctor, the rest came from the anecdotal evidence of her friends. She hadn't figured out why Pinkie Pie's habanero muffins quelled the heartburn the most effectively.

This particular morning, nothing had seemed to work, the heartburn just would not fade. Wondering why she hadn't done this days ago, Twilight decided to vista Zecora.

Each step along the road was agonizing, the motion sending the liquid fire swirling. An occasional stumble would send the heartburn to previously unknown parts of her oesophagus. Twilight was forced into a slow pace as she made her way through Ponyville, and she had brusquely rebuffed several acquaintances that would have to be apologized to later.

Twilight Sparkle did not want to be caught by either of the Apple sisters. Applejack would insist that Twilight take a swig of her cinnamon and zap-apple cider. That particular cure had worked by initiating a searing burning sensation that had lasted several minutes, and had been ten times worse than the heartburn, before finally fading and taking the first pain with it.

Apple Bloom would insist on turning it into a crusade, and Twilight just could not deal with that at the moment.

Twilight was forced to stop as her chest clenched unexpectedly, the burning sensation erupting up from her stomach. An unladylike burp followed, the kind that would have had Rarity reaching for her fainting couch.

"Y'alright?" an Apple drawled. Much to Twilight's relief it was Big Macintosh. He was adorned in his Nightmare Night costume, minus the top hat. He was glistening with sweat, and Twilight could not help but pause for a moment to look him over.

"Heartburn-" Twilight couldn't finish the sentence without burping once more "-again. I'm going to Zecora's for a herbal remedy. What have you been up to?"

"Playin' with mah sister and her friends. They needed a villain," Big Macintosh explained. Twilight heard a faint giggling in the distance that grew closer.

"I better get going. No offense but I don't need a crusade at the moment," Twilight Sparkle said.

Big Macintosh turned a deep red before asking his next question. "Will we still be on for Monday and Thursday night astronomy lessons?"

It was Twilight's turn to blush a shade of red to match Big Macintosh's hide. "Just as soon as I get over the heartburn," Twilight responded. She gave the farmer a quick kiss on the cheek, before turning to leave.

Big Macintosh paused for a moment, quelling the blush before returning to the game. Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle would not notice, but Apple Bloom would catch the slight color difference easily

"Dr. Appledoom we presume?" Sweetie Belle asked as she emerged from some nearby bushes, adorned in her crusading cape. Comically, oversized sunglasses covered her eyes. The lenses had been removed so it looked like she was wearing a mask. Big Macintosh made a final effort to suppress the blush before turning around with a sinister grin on his face.

* * *

"So heartburn makes your mornings blue? How long has this occurred for you?" Zecora asked as she started mixing two distinct concoctions for the ailing unicorn.

"About a month now, it started after my brother's wedding," Twilight explained.

Zecora paused for a moment before looking over the oblivious Twilight. "So the pain came without warning, but does occur every morning?"

"Yes."

"I know of the relationship you are in deep, and that is a secret you prefer to keep. Remember the protection that your sought, was there a time when it was but an afterthought?" Zecora asked as she finished a potion then started another.

"I always use protection," Twilight replied defensively, her blush rising sharply, as she realized what Zecora was alluding to.

"What you do with your paramour is not a crime, but protection will not occur if you do not always take the time," Zecora said as she passed Twilight two bags.

"The first is a tea that if taken every day will heal the pain. The second is a brew that will give you answers you need to gain. Please Twilight Sparkle, if there is any time you need to speak, I am a friend you can always seek," Zecora reassured the stunned unicorn with a pat on the back.

* * *

Twilight regretted turning down Zecora's offer to perform the pregnancy test at her house. It would have been nice to have a friend there to support her. She knew though, that she wouldn't have been able to relax with the distant crying, cawing, clawing, skittering, and scratching of untamed wild animals that could disturb them at any moment.

Going straight to Big Macintosh would be unhelpful. As she walked back from Zecora's to Ponyville, she discovered the large stallion hog tied and on his side. Scootaloo jumped on his barrel chest. Sweetie Belle took a picture of Apple Bloom who posed with one front leg on Big Macintosh's neck, saluting with the other.

Big Macintosh broke character to wave to Twilight as she passed. Apple Bloom immediately whined about him ruining the picture. He easily stepped back into the role of villain by forcing his hoof back through Scootaloo's poorly tied knots.

The heartburn had faded for the day, but seeing Big Macintosh play gently with his sister caused something in Twilight's stomach to kick. She paused for a moment.

"Calm down Twilight, you can't be that far along." Twilight wondered when the conception occurred.

"It must have been after Hearts and Hooves Day or when Flim and Flam tried to con the Apples out of the farm. Both occurred in spring," Twilight Sparkle mused out loud. _A perfect time for foaling for someone her age._They had both been feeling rather frisky after those events. Twilight Sparkle blushed as she thought of the undisrupted secret hours they spent together.

Twilight looked back one more time at Big Macintosh and the playing foals. She had a sudden urge to send them on a quest to get some alone time with the red stallion. This was followed by another urge to take a cold bath and rub herself clean. Now was not the time.

She trotted across the fields, passing Sweet Apple Acres, then lesser farms. The tea and potion seemed to weigh more heavily in her saddlebags the closer she came to Ponyville. Twilight grew colder under the warm, summer sun as the world tried to crash around her.

She needed someone to do this with.

Applejack would have normally been her best option, except in this case. Twilight did not even want to think about how the yellow and orange mare would react to all the lies of omission her brother and supposed friend had been keeping.

Fluttershy was timid, though solid in an emergency. At the same time the tamed, intelligent animals who resided in Fluttershy's home would prevent Twilight from performing the necessary functions to complete the pregnancy test.

"Pinkie Pie…" Twilight spoke the name out loud and cringed at the idea, suddenly expecting the pink-maned party animal to jump out with a pre-birthday cake.

On the other side of Ponyville Pinkie Pie sneezed and her ears burned. She started covering the cupcakes she had been decorating with pink and blue frosting. She wasn't sure why but the sneeze, the heat, and the butterflies in her stomach dictated that she had to do so.

That left Rarity or -

"TWILIGHT?" Rainbow Dash yelled from atop the cloud she had been sleeping on. "Are you alright?" Rainbow Dash asked as she glided down to her friend. The urge to share her current issue and long-held secret was overwhelming, she needed her friend's support.

"There's a chance I could be pregnant," Twilight answered matter-of-factly.

The double take this caused disrupted Rainbow Dash's landing, resulting in a rather spectacular crash. From the tangle of limbs and hair, the pegasus stared incredulously up at her friend.

"No, its not from a one night stand," Twilight sighed, "I've sort of... been in a secret relationship...for a year..."

The admission left the already speechless Rainbow Dash completely dumbstruck. The confusion and betrayal warring on her friend's face stung Twilight. Worried, she took a tentative step forward.

"Rainbow?" Twilight questioned. When an answer was not forthcoming, she took another step forward. "R - Rainbow?" Her voice wavered uncertainly this time.

Rainbow Dash shook her head and clambered up to her feet, still looking somewhat stunned.

"Twili-," Rainbow began, before the unicorn in question abruptly cut her off.

"Oh please don't be mad at me!" Twilight blurted out. "I could really use the support and I'm about to take the test and I was wondering if you would be there for me when I did. You know, for moral support?" she said, nerves causing the words to spill rapidly out of her mouth.

"Geez Twi, of course I'll be there for you. And I'm not mad, I was just a little… overwhelmed," Rainbow explained. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and quickly hugged her friend.

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash," Twilight mumbled into the pegasus's coat.

Rainbow Dash felt her coat dampen and pulled away from the embrace to look Twilight in the eyes; they were brimming with tears.

"It's alright Twilight. I'm here for you," she said, smiling reassuringly. Tears still leaked from her friend's eyes.

"I really am sorry, I - we should have told you all..."

"It's alright Twilight. Seriously, don't worry about it." Rainbow Dash pulled Twilight into a hug again and patted her back reassuringly. When Twilight finally calmed, she pulled away. "Why do you even think your pregnant anyway?"

"Zecora thinks my recent heartburn is a symptom of pregnancy; morning sickness. And there are other...mitigating factors," Twilight explained.

"Well, let's go take that test then!" Rainbow Dash suggested, deliberately not prying. Twilight would tell them all when she was ready.

"We can't go to the library; Spike's there and I can't face him now," Twilight said.

"What about Rarity's?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I don't know..."

"C'mon, I'll break the news to her first. When everything is settled you can come in," Rainbow placed a supportive hoof on Twilight's shoulder. The frazzled mare gave a weak smile and agreed with a nod.

Twilight Sparkle was not sure how but the normally pleasant looking Carousel Boutique seemed to loom menacingly as they approached. She started to shake again as she sat outside the entrance.

"Calm down Twilight." Rainbow Dash patted her shoulder once more as she hovered a few feet above the ground to check the windows. No one was inside besides Rarity who waved from behind the main counter. "I'll be right back."

As the door opened and closed, Twilight clearly heard a ring and a "Hello, Rainbow Dash." She pressed her ear against the doorway and heard a muffled conversation. A few moments later she heard a thump, and the distinct sound of splashing water. A quick argument followed, before Rainbow Dash yelled loudly one final time. After a short pause the door rang and opened again as Twilight entered. Rainbow Dash closed the door behind Twilight as the purple unicorn entered. She turned the open sign to closed.

Twilight followed Rainbow Dash through into kitchen. Rarity seemed to be already preparing for the birth, as she darted around the kitchen in a flurry of activity. A teapot and three pots of various sizes boiled water on the stove. Sheets, towels, and pillows had been folded and placed on Rarity's fainting sofa. Rarity herself had removed a bucket of ice from the freezer, and was breaking them up into smaller pieces telekinetically. It appeared that the ice was for the wine bottles currently sitting on the counter. As she broke the ice, Rarity absentmindedly started knitting a baby blanket. A whistling teapot joined the steady clicking of Rarity's needles.

Rarity turned towards her friends as they entered the kitchen. "Twilight…" Rarity could not find the words.

"H-hey, Rarity..." Twilight began hesitantly.

Rarity simply hugged her, long and hard. She pulled away and looked her friend in the eyes, a warm smile on her lips. "Twilight, I'm here for you, and anything you need, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

"Could - could I use the restroom upstairs?" Twilight asked. By way of explanation, the test kit Zecora had provided hovered in front of her in a magical glow.

"Of course, my dear, use the bedroom if you need to. Just float Opalescence out if you need to. She'll be mad, well by Celestia she's always mad, but just ignore her," Rarity responded. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Some tea would be nice, thank you."

Rarity immediately whirled round and began pouring out cups of tea. It was one of her favorite blends and was excellent for calming the nerves.

Rarity waited as she heard Twilight ascend the stairway. She waited for an angry Opalescence to descend the stairway before speaking. "Could you believe Twilight of all mares-"

"No," Rainbow Dash bluntly cut the unicorn off, "she's in a terrifying situation at the moment and needs friends. Not judgment or gossip."

Rarity paused for a moment before speaking. She had finished the baby blanket and started on a nappy. The clicking of the needles increased slightly. "You seem to be handling this rather maturely Rainbow Dash."

"Well it's just that… I understand, alright." Rainbow Dash tried to let the subject drop, but a questioning look from Rarity spurred her to continue defensively. "Not me! Look, I just understand that it's complicated."

Before they could continue Twilight emerged from upstairs with a brown paper bag and Rarity's alarm clock. She sat both on the table and set the clock for two minutes.

"This is it?" Rarity asked.

"Zecora gave me a potion. I will go to the doctors if the first round test is positive, but I trust her stuff," Twilight responded.

"Why would you go to Zecora for a pregnancy test?" Rarity asked. She ignored Rainbow Dash's face, she needed some answers.

"Well condoms were not working with my coltfriend, and chemical methods don't work well with unicorns because of hormonal differences brought on by magic," Twilight explained in her lecture voice. "Her alternative methods did work, but I guess I started too late." She looked a little sheepish as she finished her explanation.

Before Rarity could question her further the alarm rang, causing them all to jump, especially Twilight. They stared at the brown paper bag as if a dragon or diamond dog could jump out at any moment.

"How will you know?" Rarity asked.

"Red positive, blue negative," Twilight responded, totally transfixed by the bag. All three continued to stare for an agonizingly long minute.

"Twilight, you have to know!" Rainbow Dash reached for the bag and tore open. A small glass vial with a black stopper connected to a small stick was revealed. In the sunlight of an open window, a deep red liquid exposed Twilight's impending motherhood.


	2. Chapter 2: Keeping it in

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 2: Keeping it in**

"Why isn't she panicking yet?" Rainbow Dash asked, " Twilight always panics."

She and Rarity were eating lunch at a cafe. Their food sat ignored, a feeble pretense. The cafe had been chosen, not for the food, but for the excellent view that it gave of the library. The duo unashamedly watched Twilight walk across the town square and into her home. In fact, both ponies had been not-so-discreetly spying on their friend since the fateful test the week before.

In order to better keep an eye on their friend, the two ponies had tried to stay as close to the library as they could. Rainbow Dash took extra weather patrols over the town so she could have more frequent flyovers of the library. Rarity meanwhile, slowly racked up debt from all the extra shopping done at stores conveniently located within sight of the library.

Twilight acted unnervingly normal since her pregnancy test. She struck rigidly to her schedule the whole week. The only difference in her routine occurred during the last three mornings; a daily trip to the mail office to pick up an alarming number of book shaped packages.

Rarity sipped from a cup of tea, and continued to absent-mindedly knit clothing under the table.

"Twilight only overreacts to things that are presented to her as beyond her control," Rarity stated, "like when she thought a disaster was going to occur after her future self visited, or when she thought she was going to disappoint Princess Celestia. She is actually the best of us in an emergency. Nightmare Moon, Discord, or the Changelings might not have have been defeated if it weren't for Twilight."

"It would just be so much easier if she just had one of her usual breakdowns," Rainbow Dash complained, swatting the table as she did so, "at least we know how to deal with those."

Rainbow's assault on the table knocked over one of Rarity's many bags. As the bag toppled and hit the ground, a pile of foal clothing, all various shades of pink, spilled out.

"Really Rarity, really?"

"Just nervous energy." Rarity repacked the clothing. "Besides, it seems I'm not the only one who's been going overboard. Fluttershy tells me the Everfree Forest has been unseasonably wet this past week. It's almost as if somepony has been kicking up storms. She's been dreadfully worried about possible flooding, the poor dear."

"What if it's a boy?" Rainbow Dash attempted to turn the conversation off of herself and back onto Rarity.

"Shhh!" Rarity looked past Rainbow Dash and threw up an energetic wave. "Good morning Big Macintosh!" Rainbow twisted in her chair to see the burly workhorse stride down the lane.

"Mornin'," Big Macintosh replied as he passed, pulling a wagon-load of barrels, each one full to the brim with apples. He continued on to the open air market in the center of the village. Various mares waved enthusiastically as Big Macintosh passed, dreaming though not daring to act. He nodded politely before setting up shop on the edge of the market place near the library.

"You know, it's kind of funny; Big Macintosh has been managing the stall all week. Doesn't Applejack normally do most of the selling?" Rarity questioned.

"Maybe AJ just wanted a break from it or something, I dunno," Rainbow idly commented.

"I'm sure there will be plenty of mares willing to buy from Big Macintosh without his sister around," Rarity remarked. "I mean, the only mare who would go after him would have to be somepony who has not seen 'protective' Applejack in action."

"HAH! Possessive is more like it."

The two ponies lapsed back into their silent vigil of the library.

"OH SWEET CELESTIA!" Rarity suddenly shouted.

Rainbow Dash and the ponies sitting at nearby tables jumped at the sudden noise and stared at Rarity nervously.

The white unicorn giggled bashfully before taking a dainty sip of her cream of onion soup that had long gone cold. "My, this is an excellent dish. Excuse me ma'am, may I have this to go?" Rarity asked as a waitress passed.

"What was that about?" Rainbow Dash hissed once the waitress took their food away to be packaged up.

"Why, the excellent lunch of course."

* * *

Despite Rainbow's constant questions Rarity remained tight lipped until they returned to the boutique. Rarity did not explain her outburst until they sat around her kitchen table with steaming cups of tea.

"It's Big Macintosh," Rarity explained

"Er, Big Macintosh is what?" Rainbow Dash asked warily.

"Well, the father obviously," Rarity answered, "that's why he has been around town all week. It's kind of romantic if you think about it. Waiting for glances to see the love of his life, trying to get the briefest moment of conversation."

"Pssh, whatever Rarity," Rainbow Dash replied, trying to brush off Rarity's extremely astute guess.

"Well, who else could it have been, darling? Our dear Twilight Sparkle doesn't really know any other stallions in Ponyville."

"Why does it have to be Big Mac?" Rainbow asked, "Maybe it's somepony from Canterlot or something"

Rarity brushed off the pegasus' attempt at deflection. "No, it can't be. She hasn't been to Canterlot for months and Twilight simply isn't a one night stand kind of mare"

"Er, w-well then, what abo-" Rainbow began before getting abruptly cut off by the gushing unicorn.

"Oh, I can imagine how it started." A breathless Rarity could not contain the emotional glam in her eyes. "That day we emerged from the Everfree forest after saving Equestria from eternal night. Their eyes met across a town of crowded ponies, not realizing what was blossoming between them even then."

Rarity squealed at the romance of it all, it was just like one of her novels. Rainbow Dash struggled with herself for a moment; it wasn't her secret to share. Rarity had guessed though, and was certain she was right.

"Uggh, fine...you're right," Rainbow said in a small voice, "but you have to promise to keep it to yourself!"

"Well of course, Rainbow! What sort of friend do you think I am?"

"Well you do have a bit of a reputation for being a gossip," Rainbow said carefully.

"Not about my friends! Especially when it's something as monumental as this," Rarity declared hotly.

"Okay, okay, calm down. I was just saying, geez," Rainbow said, backing away subtly from the angry and offended looking unicorn.

Rarity looked slightly mollified, but still wore a grumpy expression.

"We just can't risk AJ finding out about this. Remember what she did to Daisy?" Rainbow asked worriedly.

"Yes, who could forget that fiasco." Rarity grimaced. "Daisy is still limping."

"Daisy did go overboard in her attempts on Big Macintosh."

"Applejack still took it too far."

They sat silently for a few minutes, sipping their hot tea and thinking about what Applejack might do to Twilight.

"We should really talk to Twi about this. Applejack's brother changes everything," Rainbow said at length.

"I agree. We did say we would give her some time, but I don't think this can wait."

* * *

Rarity and Rainbow ascended the stairs to the library's second floor and knocked on the door to Twilight's room. Nopony answered. After the third knock Rainbow simply walked in.

"So, you have been going insane in private then?" She asked upon seeing the state of the room. Rarity followed her in.

Around her sat sheets, charts, and easels covered with mathematic equations related to Equestria's future economy. Further details revealed Twilight was considering the economic future of raising anywhere from one, to two point five foals as both a single mother and with a partner. Another note revealed she was in the process of considering extended family financial involvement. There were piles of books on foal psychology, milestones, rearing philosophies, preparing your children for kindergarten, elementary school, high school, college. Even a self help book in preparation for when a child left home. There were books on depression: prepartum, postpartum, for fathers, grandparents, and more distant relatives. It appeared that Twilight Sparkle was attempting to plan for all possible futures of the next fifty years of her life.

Twilight Sparkle turned from her research to her friend. "I thought you were going to wait?"

"Darling we need to talk," Rarity said gently.

"There is so much to do, so much to plan," Twilight fretted, "I don't have time to talk!"

"Twilight Sparkle!" Rarity's use of the purple unicorn's full name seemed to snap Twilight out of her racing thoughts. Tears started to well up in the corners of her eyes.

"I don't know what to do Rarity. I don't know what I need," Twilight started to sob.

Rarity took the crying Twilight into her embrace and gently rubbed her shoulders. Rarity spoke quiet reassurances to Twilight until the sobs turned to dry heaves then stopped.

"Thank you Rarity," Twilight managed as she dabbed her eyes with a magically levitated hoofkerchief.

"It's quite alright Twilight. I can't imagine what you are going through, but you know I will always be there for you," Rarity reassured Twilight.

"And you know I'm here for you too Twi," Rainbow added.

She shuffled her wings uncomfortably and looked at the floor. "I know this isn't the best time, but Rarity knows about Big Mac. She figured it out."

"WHAT!" Twilight shrieked. "How could you possibly have figured it out?!"

The unicorn collapsed into a quivering mass on the floor.

"What were the signs? How did you figure it out? Does anyone else know?" The questions poured out of Twilight so fast they were barely comprehensible.

"Don't worry Twilight dear," Rarity said soothingly as she sat down next to her, "I don't think anyone else could possibly figure it out. They would have to know you were pregnant first and of the ponies who know, three of them are in this room. And I'm sure Zecora won't tell a soul, she would never break your confidence."

Twilight recovered enough to pull herself up into a sitting position.

"What about Spike?" Twilight asked suddenly, a fearful expression crossing her face, "Surely he can hear us."

"Oh, I simply asked the dashing young dragon if he could look after the boutique for me for a few hours. He was only too happy to oblige, so we have our privacy," Rarity explained.

The lavender unicorn seemed to relax still further, taking a few deep breaths and closing her eyes.

"I have to ask though, have you considered your wants darling?"

"Huh?" Twilight mumbled as she opened her eyes to look at Rarity.

"You said before that you didn't know what you needed. What about what you WANT?"

"What do I want?" Twilight looked a little confused, and seemed to be mulling the question over in her head.

"What do you actually want to do my dear? I know this is hard for you, but you have to think of your emotions and well being first. The answers you seek will follow logically once you know that," Rarity explained as she lead Twilight out of her bedroom and into the main room of the library.

The three ponies went down to the kitchen and Rarity sat Twilight down at the table. She and Rainbow went into the kitchen to make some tea.

"I'm going to leave this to you Rarity. I'm going to go talk to someone who might be able to help, see if I can get them to come talk to Twilight," Rainbow explained.

"She needs all the help she can get at the moment. Remember though, no one can know about the father, and as few people as possible should know she's even pregnant."

"Don't worry, I know. She's trustworthy," Dash assured.

"Good, then go." Rarity opened the wide kitchen window with a flash of magic.

Dash took the hint and leapt gracefully out into the open air. Rarity picked up two mugs of steaming tea, and walked back to the table. She sat the mugs down and settled into a chair next to Twilight

"My wants…" Twilight could be heard whispering to herself.

She looked up as Rarity sat down and gratefully took up the tea in her own magical aura. Seeing that she had calmed down significantly, Rarity thought she could ask the most important question that Twilight needed to answer. It was a harsh question, loaded with significance and implication, but it needed to be asked.

"Do you even want a foal right now?"

Rainbow Dash flew over the streets of Ponyville, narrowing her eyes as the setting summer sun caused the shadows to lengthen. The heat resulted in a slight haze surrounding everything in her line of sight that did not dissipate until she landed next to a small house.

The house was unassuming, save for the black and white landing pad that jutted out of the roof. It was two stories, with a well maintained lawn and a sandbox situated under the yard's single tree. Two small vegetable patches, one containing carrots and the other containing a variety of other vegetables, encircled the house and the inside of the yard's fence.

A toddling, blonde-maned pegasus foal with light brown fur played in the sandbox, piling up sand in an attempt to create a castle without a bucket, shovel, or water. The colt smiled as Rainbow Dash surveyed the yard, forgetting the sand in favor of running towards Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash scooped the excited foal into her forelimbs and threw him into the air. His wings stretched at the highest point of the throw, and he descended slowly into Rainbow Dash's waiting grasp. "Hey Diddly, where are you parents?"

"Da's cleanin' Dinky," the foal responded, "Mam's still working'."

Rainbow Dash entered the house to find an adult Earth pony with an hourglass for a cutie mark cleaning an off purple unicorn foal in the kitchen sink. The foal looked miserable as the stallion scrubbed her thoroughly. The water was murky with soaps and paints of various colors.

"Rainbow Dash!" Dinky called excitedly, splashing the stallion in her excitement to get to the pegasus. The stallion dropped his sponge and snagged the foal's mane before she could exit the sink.

"Dry off first before you get the house dirty again." The stallion admonished the foal as he passed her a towel.

He turned to Rainbow and smiled widely as he saw her. He opened his mouth to greet her when he suddenly looked at the foal now perched on her back. Diddly was in the process of clambering to his feet in preparation to jump down to the floor.

"Don't you dare track all that sand in here young colt," he said sternly, "wash your hooves first."

Diddly stopped at this and, before the stallion could stop him, leapt into the sink. Water splashed everywhere, and the stallion sighed resignedly. Dinky giggled at her brother's antics as she dried her fur.

"Why don't you both try being helpful for a change and go set the table for dinner," the stallion suggested and the children ran for a nearby cupboard.

"Will you be staying for dinner Rainbow Dash?"

"Is that Prench onion cauliflower stew?" Dash asked as she inhaled the delicious aroma.

"Seasoned with rosemary," the stallion smiled.

"Sorry Kingston, maybe some other time," she replied disappointedly, "I'm on mission at the moment, I actually came to talk to Ditzy if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Kingston responded.

Something thumped against the roof of the house in a hard landing.

"That's her now."

"Thanks," Rainbow Dash said and flew out of the open doorway to the landing pad upon the roof.

Atop the roof, a yellow-maned mare shook off her crash landing. Crossed golden eyes attempted to focus on Rainbow Dash. Ditzy Doo blinked once, then twice before her eyes straightened themselves.

"Good job, you actually hit the landing pad this time!"

"Thanks Rainbow Dash," Ditzy replied, "you staying for dinner?"

"I'd like to but I'm currently in the middle of a crisis," Rainbow Dash explained, "one of my friends is pregnant, and it wasn't exactly planned. I was wondering if you could, maybe, help. You did always say it would have helped you to have talked to someone with experience when you had Dinky Doo."

"I don't know..." Ditzy Doo thought out loud.

"Please Ditzy, It would mean a lot to me and her. She just needs to talk to someone who's been through it all," Rainbow Dash said beseechingly.

"Alright then, if you really think it will help," Ditzy replied with a kind hearted smile, "meet me in the park at 7:00 and I'll talk with your friend."


	3. Chapter 3: Letting it out

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 3: Letting it out**

"Of course I don't want a foal right now," Twilight Sparkle admitted.

"I know that I want foals one day, but not now. I took the risk though. The only thing I thought about at the time was that the large condoms should be fine and that Big Macintosh was the one."

"Really?" Rarity ignored Twilight's innuendo and immediately thought of a wedding dress. An off the shoulder yellow or bronze tinted piece with a flowing skirt that could hide a potential foal bump would be perfect. Pregnancies did not become apparent in ponies until the last trimester, and pure white no longer fit the situation.

"Yes, that's why we decided to move forward with our relationship," Twilight admitted sheepishly.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you keep it a secret?" Rarity could not help but ask.

Twilight avoided her friend's prying as her gaze dropped to the floor. She heaved a tired sigh. "It's complicated."

Rarity did not push. "So what do you want to do?"

"I guess just consider all my immediate options. Keep it or get an abortion," Twilight explained.

"You're really going to be that kind of mare?" Rarity blurted.

"Excuse me?"

"Well dear, I just never thought you would be the type to consider that." Rarity realized she was not sure where she stood on the matter, but found the words spilling out anyway.

"What type is that?"

"Just a type dear."

A slamming door temporarily disrupted the situation and heralded the arrival of Rainbow Dash. "Hey Twilight, I talked to my friend. She's willing to meet you."

"Twilight seems to have a good idea of what she wants to do," Rarity responded.

"Rarity, it's just an option. I don't even know if I want to do it," Twilight Sparkle said.

"Do what?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"She wants to kill her foal."

Rainbow Dash grappled for the right words, looking like a fish gasping for air. Twilight's uneasy assurance was shattered by the force of the comment and she started the cry.

"Rarity!"

"Well…" Rarity was caught between a defense and an apology.

"I think you should leave."

"Rainbow Dash…"

"Now!" Dash yelled, angry beyond belief at her tactless friend. Rarity left the bawling Twilight Sparkle to be comforted by Rainbow Dash.

* * *

Ditzy Doo cleared the dinner table as the foals scampered off for one last romp before bed. Alone in the kitchen with her husband, she told him about the conversation she planned to have with Rainbow Dash's friend.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Kingston asked as they washed plates and the children kept themselves busy with building blocks. At least Diddley was. Ditzy was making a stealthy approach towards the cabinet that contained paints, pencils, markers, pens, and all matter of writing material.

"Rainbow Dash has always been there for me," Ditzy began before abruptly looking over Kingston's shoulder to chastise the stealthy child.

"Dinky Doo, don't you dare get into those paints and put a Cutie Mark on yourself again." Dinky scowled, she had managed to touch the cabinet before her mother caught sight of her.

"Why don't you go upstairs with your brother and get some books for tonight?" Ditzy suggested.

"Fine..." Dinky sulked, hanging her head as she collected her brother.

Ditzy Doo continued her previous conversation. "She was there for me when most of my family disowned me, and when the custody battle with Ponet's parents got so bad that I decided to-"

"It's already stressing you out. That vein over your eyes is twitching," Kingston remarked. The throbbing vein would generally be followed by a spell, but the gray mare held her gaze steady in defiance.

"It's not stress, it's just anger. When I think about the way they treated me. I don't feel guilt or regret about anything I had to do during any of my pregnancies," Ditzy Doo replied.

Kingston smiled and kissed his wife. "I'm fine as long as you are fine."

A commotion from the second floor shattered the moment. "DOCTOR DAD, DIDDLY GOT ON TOP OF THE BOOK SHELF AND IS GOING TO JUMP OFF!"

Ditzy Doo's left her husband to wrangle their children into bed. She walked to the park, following a path from the main entrance that Rainbow Dash mentioned earlier she would be on with her friend.

She arrived at a secluded area, where the trees and brush would eventually become the Whitetail Woods. Situated far from bubbling brooks and ponds, squeaky playground equipment, squealing children, and laughing adults, it was the perfect place to have a private conversation in public. This section of the park had a single bench, used by ponies to rest if they strolled along the nearby path. Anypony sitting on the bench would see a walker long before they were in hearing distance.

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash sat on the bench, and were oblivious to Ditzy's presence. Rainbow Dash had managed to calm her over a delivered dinner of flat bread and the richest cheese possible it could be dipped in. The soothing effect of the cheese had worn off as they approached the park and Twilight had started to cry again. The purple mare was blotting her eyes with a tissue. Rainbow patted her back reassuringly.

"She didn't have any right to say those things to you, Twilight."

"She was right though. What kind of mare would have an abortion?" Twilight started to bawl again. She blew into the tissue with wheeze and a honk.

Ditzy shuffled her hooves uncomfortably on the path next to the bench. "Excuse me?" Rainbow Dash looked up as Twilight Sparkle blew once more.

"Ahh good, Ditzy you're here," Rainbow Dash said. Twilight pulled herself together and sat upright on the bench. "This is my cousin Ditzy Doo."

"I didn't know you two were related," Twilight said.

"You two know one another?" Rainbow asked.

"Twilight has a monthly delivery from Canterlot," Ditzy confirmed.

"Spike's not old enough yet to deliver a whole book," Twilight explained. "Besides that she's in with her children and husband weekly. Daring Doo pre-readers for the children, and physics books for Kingston. Is he enjoying that copy of Starswirl's Manifesto of Time?"

"He would like the second volume if you can get one," Ditzy responded, then shook her head. "We are getting off track here. I heard the end of your conversation with Rainbow."

"I'm so sorry I was discussing that in public," Twilight started to tear up again.

"There is no need to apologize," Ditzy Doo replied. "I've been in your situation before, and was younger than you when I had my first foal. You have to consider all the options when you consider your future."

"But abortion-"

"There is nothing wrong with it, itself. Sure, it's a moral grey area, but where you stand with it is your own personal decision. You have to come up with your own opinion about it, and decide what to do," Ditzy Doo replied. "Twilight, I know that we aren't close friends, more acquaintances really, but I've been through this before. The best advice I can give you is that you have to make your own decisions and stick with them. It's your body and your life, if ponies cannot support you then they don't support you. Whether they are friends or family, that's their baggage to carry. Not yours."

"Thank you, you're very wise," Twilight dabbed her eyes. Rainbow Dash let out a deep sigh as Twilight Sparkle smiled for the first time in a week. "Where should I go from here?"

"That's your decision to make. It's obvious that you have a friend that loves you." Rainbow puffed her feathers at Ditzy Doo's praise. "And I'm sure there are others who will be there for you as well. It's also okay to cry, but you can't let it break you either. You can get through this."

"Thank you," Twilight blew her nose one last time and tossed the tissue into a nearby trash can.

"What are you going to do now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I have more thinking to do," Twilight sighed at the look Rainbow Dash gave her. "Relax, your cousin helped me with her perspective." It was Ditzy Doo's turn to fluff her own feathers at the praise.

They left, after Twilight's stomach grumbled, for a carry out desert from Sugar Cube Corner. Rainbow Dash excused herself when the topic of discussion got onto pregnancy symptoms. There were just some topics that one of the greatest flyer and friend in Equestria could not handle.

_Author's Notes: Kingston is my headcanon name for Dr. Whooves._


	4. Chapter 4: What Twilight Needs

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 4: What Twilight Needs**

Sweet Apple Acres basked in the golden glow of rising summer sun. Rays crept towards the eastern facing rooms of the farm's main house, revealing the stark difference between the older Apple siblings' bedrooms.

Applejack's walls reflected her competitive personality; ribbons of various colors and ropes of different lengths hung from tacks on the wall. One shelf contained trophies and pictures of competitions won by herself and friends such as her first rodeo. Her dresser was adorned with more intimate pictures of friends and family, like the night of Twilight Sparkle's first slumber party and photos of the other Apple Family farms. On her night stand stood a picture of her family in happier times. She stood shoulder to shoulder with a grinning Macintosh. Her grandparents sat off the the right, a swaddled Applebloom cradled in Granny Smith's forelegs. To the left her father stood proudly in front of the farm's new sign. The top left corner was missing, a careless rip losing her mother's face. A black Stetson was tacked to the wall near Applejack's bed. Under that sat Applejack's fiddle, covered in a fine layer of dust, unused and untuned now for over a decade. Applejack would play at a party if the mood struck her and if lent someone else's fiddle, but this was not a regular event.

In contrast Big Macintosh's room lacked personality. The specially reinforced bed stood in corner, a gift from Granny Smith. Prints of a sunflower and apple tree in full bloom adorned one wall. Between them stood a shelf containing books on farming, accounting, and local and national tax codes. Atop the shelf stood individual pictures of his family. His grandfather's portrait laid on its face. Hidden away in his closet, along with a few change of clothes and his yolk, sat a picture of his mother. Twilight Sparkle's Smarty Pants doll sat next to the photo, a ward of protection against a prying Applejack. A well maintained fiddle sat in the corner of the room, despite his lack of talent.

Applejack woke gently as the rising sun crept into the room.

Big Macintosh had been up well before dawn, staring at nothing. On Wednesday mornings, an hour before dawn, he should have been waking up in Twilight Sparkle's bed. He would spend a couple of minutes snuggling against his marefriend before waking her up with the gentle persuasions of kisses and ear nibbles. She would reluctantly send him on his way with one final kiss and a teleport to the edge of Ponyville. He would sneak home and start breakfast. No one questioned Big Macintosh's pre dawn shenanigans if there was food waiting for them on the table.

Except the large breakfasts had stopped, just as suddenly as they began. Applejack initially did not question why until her brother started getting depressed in his own silent way.

This morning her brother stared aimlessly into space. Applejack knocked gently on her brother's door to question him and try to get to the root of the problem.

"Big Mac?" Applejack's voice snapped the large red stallion out of his nearly two hour staring contest with the wall opposite his bed. He reluctantly emerged from his blankets, stretched, then grunted, not responding to the question. "Are y'alright?" Applejack asked as her brother removed his yoke from his closet and placed it over his shudders.

"Eyup." Big Macintosh left his room to start breakfast. A simple oatmeal affair, it would still be warm for Granny Smith and Applebloom when they emerged from their own rooms in half an hour.

Applejack really wanted to request his Applebutter Pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs and soy bacon but she ignored the urge to ask.

"Ya'll sure?"

"Eyup."

Big Macintosh couldn't reveal anything to Applejack without starting a second Discordian War. He really wanted someone to talk to, and that was the role Twilight Sparkle had taken in the year they had been dating.

Applejack didn't know the reason behind her brother's sudden depression, but she could tell in the change of his body language. For such a large stallion he could trot very quietly, but his hoof falls had gotten harder over the past few days. She would discover him staring forlornly at the barn, actually at the distant Ponyville, and letting out large sighs. She decided to stop beating around the bush.

"Does this have something to do with you sneaking out in the morning?"

"Umm…" Big Macintosh sputtered for words.

"I noticed you coming home on the path near the barn a couple of weeks earlier, and the big breakfasts have stopped. I really 'priciated them by the way, but I'm also worried," Applejack admitted. Big Macintosh's eyes switched back and forth between his cooking breakfast and the table several times. Applejack saw and jumped to conclusions. "Why do you keep looking at the table?"

"Um… it's getting pretty old and beat up. That one wobbly leg just seems to keep getting' shorter n' shorter and we're running out things to put under it."

The table had actually taken several beatings recently, brought on by the Cutie Mark Crusader's unending quest. Sweet Apple Acres took more damage because the Apple's were willing to allow and fix most of the problems. It was better than releasing the trio on Ponyville.

"Well it ain't like Granny Smith's old oak one," Applejack contemplated. "That one would 'ave lasted forever if ma hadn't bucked it in two. Are you trying to restore it?"

Big Macintosh jumped at the convenient lie. "Yes ah' ahm."

"Well why didn't y'all just tell me that. I'm sure between the two of us we could have figured somethin' out?" Applejack inquired.

"Ah' wanted it to be a surprise and make it as good as new," Big Macintosh explained. "We could easily fix it, but I'm tryin' to figure out a way to do it without the patch job lookin' so obvious."

"Ya'll should 'ave just told me. A'm sure Twilight knows a spell or two that could do it just right." Applejack did not notice the way Big Macintosh's eyes perked at the mention of the purple mare's name. "Ah'll bring the merchandise to Ponyville today and ask her."

"If you wouldn't mind sis, ah'd like to do that myself. It's my surprise after all."

"That's great, why don't you cook up some of those apple fritters Twilight likes so much to?"

"Sounds great," he agreed and immediately set to finishing breakfast and starting on a batch his signature dessert.

* * *

Rarity looked at her spring, summer, fall, and winter lines of foal clothing. Before her sat piles of neatly stacked bonnets, booties, blankets, and onesies. She had enough clothing for the wardrobes of at least three foals, of both genders, across the age range of newborn to three years, in all colors of the rainbow. The neon line had been created purely out of frustration; she could not imagine putting it on her own foals let alone selling it to some parents who might consider it cute.

She had never considered the potential lucrative business of foal clothing. From individual high end foal clothing for boutiques in Canterlot to a larger design line that could be sold throughout stores in Equestria.

"If I already have the mock ups I might as well use them to by own advantage if there aren't going to be any foals," Rarity thought out loud as she finished her final piece; a white sweater that contained the pink, six pronged star symbol contained in the cutie marks of Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor.

The ringing of Carousel Boutiques' doorbell distracted Rarity from the business potential. Rainbow Dash stood in the entryway, its quiet shut indicating that she was here to stay.

"Good morning Rainbow Dash, is there anything I can help you with?" Rarity started civilly.

Rainbow Dash shuffled her feet and snapped her wings nervously as Rarity calmly started packing away the children's clothing. Rainbow Dash decided to start her conversation with a positive.

"If you want to know, Twilight decided to keep the foal. She's trying to figure out how to tell Big Macintosh now."

"That's good to hear. I'm glad she came to the right decision," Rarity commented.

"It wasn't the right decision, it was Twilight's decision," Rainbow Dash said. "Look Rarity, the things you said to Twilight were nasty and you owe her an apology."

"What she considered-"

"It doesn't matter what she considered doing! All the matters is that our friend is in trouble and we should be there for her, not judging her. She is going to get enough of that from complete strangers!"

They momentarily starred at one another before Rarity gave in.

"I know that, it's just all of this is so unexpected. It's just all happening to me so fast."

"That's the point though. It isn't happening to you, it's happening to Twilight," Rainbow Dash replied. "We're just bystanders in the potential crash. We have to be there for whatever Twilight needs. There are going to be other deal breakers and you have to just be there for Twilight."

"Deal breakers?"

"Decisions that Twilight is going to make when she has this foal," Rainbow clarified. "I mean there was a lot of stuff I wanted to say after by cousin Ditzy had Dinky, believe me I couldn't be around Ditzy for a week when she got comfortable enough to start milking in public." Rainbow caught Rarity's eye twitch at that idea and finished her address. "The point is you have to be there for your friends and support their decisions, no matter what. That's what friends do."

"Right, I know. It's just all…" Rarity started though she did not finish. Dash had turned around to watch Big Macintosh walk by the windows of the store front. He carried a basket that contained some food wrapped in a red and white checkered cloth.

"What do you think is gonna' happen now?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"He's probably wondering what happened to Twilight. We've been watching her enough to know they haven't been together for at least two weeks. That's probably a peace offering," Rarity commented.

"We shouldn't go over there, right?"

"Oh no darling, it would be inappropriate to intrude on such a personal moment. We can however, watch from the second story of my store."

A light blue burst of magic turned Rarity's open sign to closed before the pair rushed upstairs.

* * *

Twilight discretely organized the last of her private parenting books in the public section of the library. Spike could sense that something was amiss with his purple companion and over the past few days had gotten nosey. It was safer to hide her notes and books in plain sight than hide them in any of her usual spots.

Twilight ignored the ringing of the library door as someone entered. What she could not pass over was the distinct smell of Apple Fritters and the memories they brought.

A sense of paranoia when she had first discovered the fritters in a basket on her doorstep more than two years ago, a gift from Big Macintosh as thanks for helping out during the late summer Apple Bucking season. The taste of the fritters after an initial bite; a warm, gooey sensation that settled quite comfortable in her gullet. The surprise of discovering that the Apple Fritters tasted just as good cold with ice cream. Anger and a fight with Spike had ensued after she discovered he had eaten all the remaining fritters that Twilight had been saving.

"Are those Apple Fritters?" Spike had smelled them from upstairs. Twilight came out from the library shelves as Spike practically skipped down the stairs. Big Macintosh placed the fritters on the main desk of the library. So focused on the snack before him, Spike did not sense the tension as Twilight awkwardly approached Big Macintosh.

"What are these for?" she asked hesitantly.

"I need some information," Big Macintosh admitted honestly. Twilight gasped nervously. "My granny has an old table ah would like to restore with magic. Who better than the best mage in Ponyville to help me find the proper spell?" Twilight's heart started to beat again as Big Macintosh gave the excuse. "Ah want to make it look like new and only magic can do that."

Twilight blushed at the look Big Macintosh gave her. Spike did not notice the smoldering glance but continued with his attempt to finish off the Apple Fritters before Twilight spoke up.

"Spike."

The dragon paused warily.

"Why don't you bring the Apple Fritters over to Rarity's, we got in a fight over some fashion accessories a couple of days ago and I think they would make a good peace offering. If you don't mind Big Mac?"

"Sounds good to me," Big Macintosh did not even look at Spike.

"You sure, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"Positive, just get going."

Spike rewrapped the Apple Fritters and hurried outside before Twilight could change her mind about the theft of her favorite snack.

"Big Macintosh-"

"I'm sorry." Big Macintosh cut Twilight off with an apology he was not quite sure he was supposed to give.

Twilight Sparkle paused for a moment and decided that mincing words would not help the situation. "I'm pregnant."


	5. Chapter 5: What Big Macintosh Remembers

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 5: What Big Macintosh Remembers**

Big Macintosh's breath caught in his throat and his jaw went slack. His eyes locked on some far away point behind Twilight. Her mouth continued moving, but no sound registered to the dumbstruck stallion. Macintosh stood frozen in place, but his mind tumbled back to his youth.

Back to discovering his father broken and battered beneath a tree. Crushed under the weight of a hundred-year-old oak that had been toppled by an unexpected storm from the Everfree Forest. The tree also tried to take down his mother. She was in a coma for a month, followed be three more months of physical therapy. It all started to go down hill when his grandparents received what was supposed to be temporary guardianship of their grandchildren.

Back to his decision to drop out of school to care for the farm. His grandfather, Auger, approved. His mother, Honey Crisp, did not. After she was fully healed she had the common decency to take out her anger on Granny Smith's solid oak table by bucking it in two.

Back to the time his grandfather first hit a young Macintosh for accidentally snapping an apple tree in half.

The strikes became more frequent over the course of a couple of weeks. This happened while his sister stayed with their aunt in Manehatten. Granny Smith tended to Macintosh's wounds each time, claiming the hits had to do with Auger's stress at running a farm without a full grown stallion in the house. The beatings stopped a few days before Applejack came home. Macintosh figured it must have had something to do with the black eyes, broken nose, and torn ear he saw Auger sporting two days before Applejack's return. He didn't see what happened but figured it had something to do with the single bruise Honey Crisp carried on her chest.

Bringing home his first serious marefriend had been the eye opener; she was a sky blue pegasus with shocking green hair. The mares of the house warmed to her quickly. She introduced an amazing strawberry and apple fruit salad to his grandmother and mother. She even convinced Applejack and Apple Bloom to set and clean the tables, without protest. His grandfather spent the entire evening speaking in grunts. Big Macintosh could not remember the exact scenario, but at one point his grandfather, sister, and marefriend had been left alone together. When Big Macintosh finally got back to them his marefriend was gone and grandfather was happy. He could never bring himself to question his sister about the end of that night.

His mother's decision to leave the farm followed next. Despite all the apple or farming related cutie marks in the family, Honey Crisp had a particular gift for dowsing. She traveled to the desert to use her abilities to their fullest. Auger was angry, that's when he started bad mouthing Honey Crisp whenever Granny wasn't around.

At one point Big Macintosh was exhausted after working in the fields solo for nearly a week. Applejack had gone off to a rodeo competition. Big Macintosh had never been allowed any hobbies, and had been feeling particularly under appreciated. Auger had gone off on another tirade about Honey Crisp and in a moment of anger, Big Macintosh had bucked the old stallion. He felt guilty for a single moment until Auger had stood up in an attempt to fight back. The look Big Macintosh gave Auger caused him to back off. The elderly pony never complained about Honey Crisp to anyone besides Applejack after that.

His grandfather passed a year later, and Big Macintosh realized the full extent of his grandfather's relationship with his own family. His mother was sullen and refused to speak to anyone. He heard his Auntie Orange mutter something to her husband about being there just to confirm the old stallion had passed. Uncle Maccoun, Braeburn's father, could not come because he claimed he was too busy establishing the land claim that would eventually become Appleloosa. Even his great uncles were there to comfort their sister, not mourn their brother-in-law's death.

Only after Auger had passed did the yearly family reunions start taking place at Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh wondered how good they ever really were considering Auger's own children did whatever they could to avoid returning to the farm.

The memories after his grandfather's death blurred together. Honey Crisp's strained relationship with Applejack and Granny Smith were most apparent. Auger had long sown the seeds of discontent in Applejack. Honey Crisp could never get over her anger for what she saw as her mother's twisted loyalty to Auger. Apple Bloom started spending her summers with Honey Crisp in Las Pegasus, seemingly unaware of the family tension.

His mind rocketed forward in a blur, to a moment in the not so distant past where he offered an apple cupcake to a certain lavender party crasher at a family reunion. Big Macintosh concentrated on that long night where Applejack and her friends journeyed into the Everfree Forest to find the Elements of Harmony. When they emerged triumphantly with the rising dawn, the red stallion focused solely on his sister. Big Macintosh did not even have an opinion on Twilight Sparkle until a month later.

Twilight Sparkle stood firm against Applejack's stubbornness. Luckily for Applejack, Twilight forced her to visit the clinic before getting back to apple bucking. Without Twilight's own stubborn streak, Applejack might well have worked herself to heatstroke.

That's when Big Macintosh started sending Twilight the Apple Fritters, his signature dessert, every time she did something to help Ponyville. He eventually started delivering the Apple Fritters personally, and not always because Twilight had saved the day. It was an excuse to leave the farm, and his discussions with the unicorn on different agricultural techniques had been helpful. A sudden interest in literature actually relieved the normally nosey Applejack. Twilight fell below the orange mare's radar.

A year passed and Discord struck. Most ponies, save the Elements of Harmony and the Princesses, did not have clear memories of the entire event. Big Macintosh did have one; licking Twilight Sparkle which would have been followed by more if the distinct smell of a bone buried somewhere on the farm had not distracted him.

His mind crawled forward two weeks after that event. Big Macintosh threw himself into work on the farm and work in the village to avoid his feelings and talking to anyone. The schedule allowed him to see Twilight without talking to her.

Up until that fateful day when Twilight had rolled into Big Macintosh, and the urge to acquire Smarty Pants cancelled out everything else. The memories blurred again and were possibly non-existent because of Twilight's spell. He just remembered running off with the doll, and enjoying its company for a week by sleeping with it and occasionally giving it a hug at various private points in the day.

Twilight happened upon him when he was snuggling the doll against the side of his face. He knew he should have stopped when he heard the creak of the barn door.

Big Macintosh managed to turn redder than ever as Twilight stared at him for a moment. Then she had decided to get close, real close, chest to chest, muzzle to muzzle close. "Are you suffering from any side effects of that spell?" Twilight looked into his eyes for any telltale hearts.

Big Macintosh did not know what he was thinking when he kissed Twilight. She was too close to miss the opportunity. Her eyes turned wide as their lips touched. Big Macintosh kept his closed. "Nope." Big Macintosh answered Twilight's previous question before dropping the doll and running off.

He managed to avoid Twilight for another two days before she cornered him one evening by the pond located on his farm. It had been a well executed plan. A purple barrier thwarted his attempt to flee. The full force of the impact knocked him senseless.

He woke up a moment later to Twilight holding his massive head in her hooves, fanning him with conjured paper. She was about to splash cool water on his face when his eyes fluttered open. "I really like you," he said tentatively.

Twilight paused, the papers faded back to nothing and the water splashed to the ground as she let it go. "I really like you too." She kissed him gently on the forehead.

Afterward they took leisurely strolls about Whitetail Woods around dusk, or dawn, or anytime they could find. They would talk about anything, she was the only pony who ever listened to the anguish that resulted from not only his father's death, but discovering the body. Everyone had always told him to buck up and be a stallion. Twilight just listened.

Another year passed. They celebrated Twilight's second Running of the Leaves in Ponyville by avoiding the event and going camping. Everyone else had been distracted by a friendly round of competition between Rainbow Dash and Applejack. As other ponies raced, Twilight Sparkle and Big Macintosh gathered autumn nuts and berries in the deep woods where the leaves fell on their own accord. They admitted that they loved one another. He spent that night sleeping peacefully with Twilight snuggled safely as his side. At one point Twilight moved. He woke up to her draped over his back like a blanket.

Winter had been uneventful. It was just too hard to sneak away from his family. Hearth's Warming Eve had been lonely as everyone left for Canterlot while he stayed home to care for an ailing Granny Smith. The cold winters affected her arthritis worse each year.

After Twilight's second Winter Wrap Up in Ponyville, the pair spent another night together in the library. Spike had been dead tired after that day and it had been easy to sneak around him. Twilight woke Big Macintosh. She wanted to throw caution to the wind for once. Cooler heads prevailed, however, and the couple decided to wait until proper precautions could be taken before taking the next step.

Apple Bloom and her friends had nearly curtailed their relationship with the love poison. Upon hearing rumours that Big Macintosh and Cheerilee had gotten married, Twilight had run off to some kind of symposium in Trottingham. The city also housed some of the largest libraries outside of Canterlot. Macintosh knew Twilight wanted to lose herself in books, but he would not allow that to happen. Seventy two hours after arriving in the city, Twilight discovered a sleep deprived Big Macintosh hounding a poor librarian in search of her. They used the days until the next train to Poneville arrived to express their love frequently and vigorously.

Applejack accepted that he had needed time away from Apple Bloom after the love poison incident. Big Macintosh did not feel as guilty as he normally would have for the sudden abandonment. His sudden disappearance was the best punishment for the Cutie Mark Crusader's shenanigans.

Flim and Flam's appearance had resulted in Twilight and Big Macintosh's first fight. Both were exhausted and Big Macintosh was jealous about Twilight's swooning over the crafty unicorns. He had apologized upon realizing the mother of twins and five years married Cup Cake had also been swayed by the brother's charms. They found an excuse to disappear on another camping trip and reaffirmed their love for one another. Twilight's disheveled mane and tail was all the reassurance Big Macintosh needed.

The sleep-overs had started after Shining Armor and Princess Cadance's wedding. It was Twilight's turn to talk and for Big Macintosh to listen as she explained her nightmares and anger at her friends and family for not listening to her warnings about the fake princess.

Then he was walking into the library with a basket of Twilight's favorite apple fritters.

Then she told him she was pregnant.

Then he fainted.

* * *

Nearby in Carousel Boutique, Rarity fumed. Her attempts to gather information from Spike were foiled by Rainbow Dash's unimpressive interrogation techniques. "So all he wanted her to do was fix a table?"

Rarity sighed as Rainbow Dash questioned Spike about the table; she was fixated.

"I already told you, yes." Spike had finished the apple fritters and moved on to a bowl of purple gem chips Rarity had supplied.

Twilight Sparkle appeared in the middle of Rarity's kitchen with the distinct smell of burnt tail. This indicated a poorly done teleport. "Rarity, where are your smelling salts?"

"In a pocket attached to my fainting sofa."

Twilight ripped the pocket off the sofa as she took the bottle in her magical grasp.

"What was that for?"

"Big Macintosh fainted and I can't get him up."

Twilight teleported again. The two ponies and dragon rushed to the library after the purple unicorn.

Big Macintosh's eyes fluttered open as he inhaled Rarity's smelling salts. Twilight was beside him on the ground, ready to teleport him to the hospital if necessary. He blinked once, then twice before his eyes focused on Twilight. He knew now why the first memory in his little episode were of his father.

Twilight started to tremble as she waited for Big Macintosh to respond. He surprised her by rolling onto his back and taking her with him. He kissed her. "Ya'll know I love ya' alright?" Big Macintosh asked as tears started to well in Twilight's eyes.

"Yes," Twilight managed to squeak out before Big Macintosh kissed her again.

"What is going on here?" Spike stood in the open library doorway along with a slack-jawed Rainbow Dash and teary-eyed Rarity. There was no emotion on Spike's face. He just did not know how to react.

"They're in love!" Pinkie Pie announced as she jumped over the trio standing in the doorway. She appeared with an explosion of pink, white, and red confetti. Heart shaped balloons slowly rose towards the ceiling. In her hooves she bore a tray of blue and pink cupcakes.


	6. Chapter 6: Things Change

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 6: Things Change**

"My ears have been burning all week, that mean's somepony has been keeping an important secret that's going to be revealed. My cheeks wouldn't stop flushing which told me somepony else was in love. I didn't think they were going to be the same thing until I couldn't stop vibrating this morning, that meant a doosey was gonna happen and I just had to act!" Pinkie Pie explained to her captive. The three in the doorway continued to stare in shock, along with a growing number of gawkers who had seen the initial explosion of confetti and expected free food.

The gawkers missed the kiss, instead focusing on the heart-shaped balloons and the red and purple knot of pony in front of them.

Twilight disentangled herself from Big Macintosh's embrace. Her heart beat even faster as she found herself suddenly on display.

Unperturbed, Pinkie continued her tirade. "The only pony who ever brings on doosies is Twilight Sparkle, and I just put two and two together and knew I had to congratulate them. I still haven't figured out the rumble in my stomach. The only other time that happened is when Mrs. Ca-" Pinkie Pie's mouth magically zipped shut as Rarity cast a spell.

"I'm afraid there is going to be no party today," Rarity said as she tried to shuffle the bystanders away from the doorway. She sighed at Pinkie Pie's crowd gathering tendencies and glared as a couple of mares whispered to one another before running off. Several stallions eyed Pinkie Pie's cupcakes longingly.

"The lady said leave!" Rainbow Dash caught their attention with the stomp of her hooves. The few stragglers scattered before having to deal with the irate mare. Pinkie Pie struggled with the magically created zipper as Twilight started pacing and hyperventilating.

"No, no, no this isn't supposed to happen like this!" Twilight stopped when she circled around to Spike.

"How long have you been keeping this secret?" Spike demanded.

"Spike-" Twilight began before being cut off.

"Well?!" Spike demanded again, more angrily this time. "You've been keeping secrets!"

"It's complicated..." Twilight said lamely.

"That doesn't mean you can lie about it!" Spike yelled before running off. Twilight started to cry again before disappearing in a flash of purple light. A loud thud from upstairs indicated that she had not gone far.

Rarity sighed again as she quickly swept up Pinkie Pie's confetti and popped the balloons. The pink pony protested behind the zipper.

"Ah'm guessing you two already know everything?" Big Macintosh concluded from Rarity and Rainbow Dash's apparent calmness.

"About a week now," the pegasus admitted.

Rarity enveloped the cupcakes in her magical grip. "You're not mad are you?"

"How could ah be? Twilight just' needed to sort herself out first. I reckon it's high time me and her had a talk," Big Macintosh replied.

"I'll go find Spike," Rarity said.

"I guess I'm stuck with Pinkie Pie." Rainbow huffed as Pinkie Pie continued to struggle with the zipper.

"It should fade in about five minutes," Rarity explained as Rainbow Dash grabbed the pink earth pony by her hind hooves and dragged her out of the library. Rarity held the door open for the pair before leaving herself.

Big Macintosh climbed the stairs and knocked gently on the door to Twilight's bedroom. The doorknob flashed and Big Macintosh entered to find that Twilight on the floor, blowing her nose. Twilight sniffled one last time and looked up at him. "Please don't tell me you brought tea. Every time I drink now, I have to pee like five times afterwards because of the foal."

Big Macintosh settled down next to her before speaking. "So what do you wanna talk about?"

Twilight blew her nose again. "Nothing and everything. There is just so much to do, so much to plan..."

"Why don't we just handle Spike at the moment?" Big Macintosh suggested.

"You saw the way he looked at me."

"He jus' needs to calm hisself down a bit. Rarity's lookin' for him, she help settle him down."

"It should be me talking to him."

"Not right now, it shouldn't. Ah know a thing or two about angry siblings myself. He ain't gonna be ready to talk to ya until some of the hurt and anger wear off. Give him some time to cool off, then make it right."

"What if he doesn't?"

"He will."

"You promise?"

"Ah promise."

* * *

By the time Rarity arrived at Carousel Boutique, Spike had entrenched himself under the table in Rarity's kitchen. He sought comfort from a roll of tinfoil he absentmindedly munched on. c

"Spike, you know that too much tinfoil gives you indigestion," Rarity commented.

"I don't care." Spike turned away from her in a huff and bit through the entire roll into the cardboard.

Rarity changed tack and floated a shiny emerald, green crystal in front of his eyes. "I'll give you this Everfree Pine Crystal if you come out and hand over the tinfoil."

"No." Spike resisted. The crystal floated away before appearing again, covered in glittering gold and silver speckles.

"Even with a dash of gold and silver dust?" Rarity upped her bribed.

"Hnnng…"

"I also have a bowl of turquoise."

"...Only for you." Spike emerged from under the table and took the crystal and bowl of turquoise from Rarity. He pulled out a chair to sit at a table. Rarity flinched when he cracked the crystal in his claws before mixing it in with the turquoise.

Rarity waited for Spike to start eating before she spoke. "Now Spike, you have a perfectly legitimate reason to be mad at Twilight, but you are mad for the wrong reason. Twilight is an adult, and has the right to keep certain parts of her life private. Yes, her relationship with Big Macintosh should have been revealed in a better way, but there is nothing inherently wrong with keeping that to herself."

"But Twilight was lying to me," Spike protested.

"Technically, yes, it was a lie of omission, but there are perfectly good reasons for that," Rarity said.

"Like?" Spike asked.

"Such as dealing with a baby dragon who is not mature enough yet to handle the more intimate matters of an adult relationship," Rarity countered then added, "I saw the expression on your face. You were angry but you were also a little disgusted, weren't you?"

Spike broke down. "Big Macintosh had his tongue in her mouth!"

"In what he and Twilight thought was a private moment," Rarity explained. "I'm sure you must have seen Twilight's parents kiss before?"

"Don't remind me," Spike stuck his tongue out at the memories. Twilight Velvet and Night Shine were always rather public in their affections for one another. "Is that what you do when you're in an adult relationship?"

Rarity paused before answering. "If I ever find the right stallion, yes." Spike's heart broke a little. Rarity distracted herself by preparing a bowl of quartz for the baby dragon. "Why don't you finish your lunch then go talk to Twilight. I'm sure she's worried."

"Fine."

* * *

Big Macintosh left the library just as Spike arrived. Despite the warm sunny day, the red pony's orange hair was a little damp. They both paused in the doorway before the stallion spoke first.

"Twilight wants to talk to you when you're ready."

Spike tried to retort but could not come up with anything. He did not know how to react to someone not trying to reassure or talk down to him.

"I'm taking Twilight out to dinner tomorrow night. After that, we'll have more to talk to you about. I'll see you then." Big Macintosh left.

Spike stared at the receding pony as Twilight emerged from the bathroom, drying her tail with a towel and brushing her mane. They paused awkwardly for a moment before Twilight finally spoke. "Do you want to talk now? I can wait."

"Yes, I wanna talk."

"Well, good timing." Twilight finished drying up. "Listen, Spike, I didn't mean to keep my relationship with Big Macintosh a secret for long. It just sort of happened. You're a big part of my life, I shouldn't keep things from you."

Spike sighed before speaking. "It's alright."

"Really? That's very mature of you Spike."

"I just wish I didn't find out the way I did." Spike would not let Twilight off the hook that easily.

"You and me both, and I'm sorry for that," Twilight apologized. "You're very important to me Spike, but so is Big Macintosh, just in different ways. We just wanted to make sure what we had was really going to last before telling anypony."

"It is really going to last then?"

"Yes it is, and you're going to be seeing Big Macintosh around more often because of it."

"Applejack and Apple Bloom to?" Spike perked up a little bit.

Twilight bit her bottom lip before speaking. "We're just going to take this one step at a time Spike. For now, I need to trust that you will keep this between us. No telling anypony else what's going on."

"But why?"

"It's complicated Spike," Twilight responded simply. "If you need to talk to somepony. I'm always here, as are Rarity and Rainbow Dash."

"Pinkie Pie too?"

Twilight Sparkle had completely forgotten the pink earth pony. "That's something I'll take care of later. Do you want a hug?"

"...Yes," Spike admitted before succumbing to the purple's pony's embrace. Something new in Twilight stirred in response.


	7. Chapter 7: A Series of Unfortunate Misco

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 7: A Series of Unfortunate Miscommunications**

Big Macintosh thought of the lack of rhyme and reason to pony names after arriving home from the library. In farming families, like his own, it was generally common to share a single noun. The Apple family had started with his grandmother's mother, Apple Seed. Foals names often reflected their mothers. A husband would occasionally take a part of his wife's name as in the case of Kingston Doo who had formerly been Kingston Carrot. In contrast, pegasi tended to share similar names to their father's. Unicorn naming traditions varied widely by region. In old cities such as Canterlot or Trottingham customs dictated that a new bride or groom's name should reflect the name of their higher ranking partner. In most other regions it simply came down to the couple's mood.

He did not think Twilight Sparkle would insist on him changing his name to Macintosh Sparkle, though he wondered if she already had chosen names. He smiled warmly at the thought of the foal. He wondered how long it would be before he could feel the foal's first buck.

"Big Macintosh. Whatcha doin'?" Apple Bloom poked her brother in the leg for the sixth time in a row. She had discovered him standing, having what appeared to be a staring contest with the front door.

Big Macintosh cleared his mind with a shake of his head before speaking. "Ahhww nothin', sorry."

"Applejacks says you're gonna fix Granny's old table, can I help?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Sorry Apple Bloom, but the wood's splintered. It's gonna take magic to do it right," Big Macintosh said. "But if we get it done right you can help me varnish it. We'll make it real nice for Granny Smith."

"Sweet!"

"Where's Applejack?"

"Out by the pond with Fluttershy. The swans chased Winona up a tree again."

* * *

At one point the Apple's kept geese on the farm to eat harmful insects in the orchards and provide fertilizer for the trees. The geese proved to be explosive breeders, and the Apples had to cull the flocks every four to five years. Winona helped with herding the over breeding birds some what, but then the geese would stick exclusively to the farm's one pond and slowly poison it over time.

Twilight had suggested the swan's as replacement for the geese. The farm's pair of swans would easily consume as many pests as a flock of geese. They would not tolerate their own offspring returning to the farm when they were grown, let alone other types of water fowl who over pollute the pond.

The only problem with the swans was Winona. The dog could not grasp that the swans were not herdable like the geese. Every so often Winona would attempt to herd the swans. Every time the dog's actions proved to be futile. Every time the swans ended up chasing the dog around the farm, honking furiously and nipping at her tail. Applejack was not fond of the swans, especially when the picked on Winonna, but it was them or the geese. Unfortunately for Winona, the swans worked better.

The swans had not quite chased Winona up a tree, but she was cowering in the branches of a fallen oak. Applejack tried to coax Winona out of the branches with soft whistles and encouraging of the swans zigged and zagged back and forth in the pond as its mate complained bitterly to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, get those birds out of here. I can't calm Winona down with them so close," Applejack demanded.

"Please Matilda," Fluttershy begged. The swan honked one final time before gesturing at the dog angrily. Fluttershy sighed heavily, shutting her eyes for a moment before releasing her full stare upon the irate swan. The bird stopped complaining and focused on her eyes before backing guardedly into the pond. The swans circled one another in a rhythmic pattern before departing for the reeds on the other side of the pond. In defiance of Fluttershy's complete mastery over her, Matilda squawked once more before bobbing her head into the water to feed.

"Thanks for bein' on call to help with the birds," Big Macintosh thanked the pegasus.

"You're welcome," Fluttershy whispered behind a cascade of pink hair.

Big Macintosh did not roll his eyes as Applejack approached with the still slightly cowering Winona. "So, Brother, how did the search for a spell to fix the table go?"

"We still need to discuss further details," he replied in his best Twilight voice. He cracked a smile and continued. "Twi needs more time. Ah'm gonna take the table over tomorrow so Twilight can give it a go after supper."

"Well that sounds good." Applejack rubbed Winona along her spine one more time before volunteering her brother for an assignment. "I promised Fluttershy she could use this tree for firewood. There is enough here to warm her house for two winters. Do you think you could drag it to her house?."

"Of course," Big Macintosh resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His sister was always volunteering him for tasks to do for Fluttershy. It was always an awkward situation for the quiet stallion and shy pegasus. "Would you like me to do that now or later Miss Fluttershy?"

"Right now will be good for her," Applejack answered for her friend. Big Macintosh's ear twitched but he resisted any other sign of discontent.

* * *

With a final grunt, Big Macintosh rolled the log into the yard of Fluttershy's house. Cutting the branches took most of the afternoon, followed by an hour of actually moving it. "So who's the pony that volunteered to cut your wood?"

"I think Applejack was going to volunteer you," Fluttershy spoke rather clearly as she placed a basket of sandwiches on the log.

"Thanks," Big Macintosh ate one sandwich, saving the rest for later.

"Somepony really has to tell her…" Fluttershy spoke quietly again.

"That we ain't interested and this ain't gonna happen." Big Macintosh gestured between the pair. He turned red as Fluttershy blushed behind her hair. "Sorry."

"It's alright, it's just awkward," Fluttershy said.

"You know that mare I've been talking to you about?" Big Macintosh admitted.

Fluttershy looked at him with trepidation. "The one you wont name?"

"It's Twilight Sparkle and she's pregnant." Big Macintosh rubbed his mane but could not find the right words.

"Oh my. Who knows?" Fluttershy's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"Zecora, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash," Big Macintosh answered. "It ain't that Twilight's tryin' to keep it from ya. We just were gonna keep it to ourselves for awhile... but everythin's gotten shaken up and the others found out by chance."

"It's alright," Fluttershy reassured him.

"You're ain't mad?"

"Everypony needs to come to these things in their own time," Fluttershy answered diplomatically.

"Still, I'm gonna need a favor," Big Macintosh continued. "When Applejack finds out she's gonna be mad and she ain't gonna speak to me for awhile. I need someone to keep the lines open."

"I don't know."

"Please, she's mah sister."

"If it happens, I'll try."

* * *

Twilight Sparkle woke to the gently rising sun, the distant chirping of birds, and the loud snores of Spike and the infant phoenix Peewee. The baby dragon insisted on dragging his basket into Twilight's bedroom and sleeping there that night. Twilight didn't want to think how he would react to sharing any space with Big Macintosh.

She stretched, sighing happily under the warm summer sun. She left Spike to sleep in after deciding to prepare breakfast for herself, cereal topped with a cut up banana and a side of toasted peanut butter with a glass of orange juice. After finishing the main course, Twilight tried to decide if she wanted to double up on the toast.

A knock on the door disrupted her indecision. "Mornin'," Applejack entered after the knock, bearing a basket of apples.

Twilight froze as she fumbled for words. "Good morning, Applejack, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to say thanks for bein' there for mah brother. He told me about your plans." Applejack placed the apples on Twilight's main table. "You're doin a really good thing for mah family Twilight. If you don't mind me askin', could I go to dinner with you tonight? I really want to help as much as possible."

"Really?" Twilight blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, Mah brother really doesn't want my help, but this is a family thing and we Apples gotta stick together," Applejack said.

"That sounds fine," Twilight agreed as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"Mah brother's got deliveries to make all day. So where did you plan on doing to dinner?"

_A romantic picnic in the park._ Twilight thought but said, "Here."

"Sounds great, I'll be here early to help cook. Its the least Ah can do." Applejack shook her friend's hoof before walking off and leaving the bewildered Twilight behind.

* * *

Twilight met with Rainbow Dash and Rarity for lunch, sending Spike off with a ridiculously long shopping list to keep him busy. A mention of a romantic dinner with Rarity that night did not lighten the dragon's mood like Twilight expected, but he still did what he was told. Three garden salads sat before a trio of friends, as well as a bowl of peanuts that Twilight frequently reached into and ate from.

"So Applejack is okay with what's going on?" Rarity asked, shocked at Twilight's revelation.

"She seemed fine with everything," Twilight explained. Rainbow Dash tried to grab a nut but Twilight kept reaching for them telekinetically, cracking them, and eating them faster than Rainbow Dash could react in between Twilight's snacking.

"That doesn't sound like Applejack," Rainbow Dash said as she grabbed the bowl and dumped some nuts into her salad.

Rarity glared at the pegasus but Twilight did not seem to mind as she continued eating. "Applejack is always level headed and practical. I'm glad she's happy for us."

"There's a first time for everything," Rainbow Dash said.

"What are you talking about?" Twilight asked.

"Well…" Rarity tried to explain the situation tactfully but settled for asking a question, "Have you and Big Macintosh ever discussed your past relationships?"

"Well, not actually," Twilight realized.

"Big Mac would have to actually have past relationships if he wanted to talk about them," Rainbow Dash commented, though she regretted it when Rarity bucked her under the table.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"This is really something you should discuss with Big Macintosh," Rarity attempted to deflect the line of questions.

"If it's important..." Twilight pressed.

"Applejack is nuts and has chased off any mare interested in her brother," Rainbow Dash explained.

"Rainbow Dash." Rarity's glare rivaled Fluttershy's stare.

"Well somepony has to tell her. Big Mac obviously hasn't," Rainbow Dash protested.

"You're not mad, are you dear?" Rarity asked.

"I should be, but I'm not," Twilight explained. "My brother's kind of the same way."

"Shining Armor seems like such the gentlecolt," Rarity said.

"He's also been involved in social and royal affairs long before I was. It's easy for him to chase off suitors when he has the entire Royal Guard and palace staff spying for him" Twilight sighed. "Only two were able to make it through, it didn't end well for anypony."

"Let me apologize on behalf of your brother and Applejack. Who would imagine you would both have such defensive siblings," Rarity said.

"I still don't buy Applejack not being angry," Rainbow Dash said.

"Are you sure she knows everything?" Rarity asked.

"She said Big Macintosh told her of our plans and that she was happy for us," Twilight summarized. "I can't imagine what else she was talking about."

* * *

A combination of not knowing Big Macintosh's schedule as well as an early arriving Applejack kept Twilight Sparkle from seeking out the red stallion. Twilight also could not question Applejack on her discussion with Big Macintosh because of Spike's presence. The purple unicorn did not have the time to question the orange earth pony, who took over the kitchen and proceeded to make a three course meal for her friends and brother. Twilight spent most of the evening reassuring a distraught Spike that it was a one time thing as Applejack rearranged what was traditionally his territory. Twilight could not get Applejack's attention over the chorus of clinking cookware, cooking food, and splashing of utensils as they were tossed into the sink to soak.

The dinner preparation passed quickly despite the long hours. As dinner approached Twilight and Spike could not help but salivate over Applejack's fruit salad, nut roast, and apple pie.

A knock on the library door disrupted the cooking. "Sounds like Big Macintosh is here. I just got a few finishing touches on the nut roast," Applejack explained as she removed the nut roast from the oven and seasoned it one final time as it cooled.

Big Macintosh choose to do something different that night. After a long day of deliveries, and finally dragging Granny Smith's table from the farm, he wanted a kiss from his marefriend. It was supposed to be a romantic dinner after all.

"I've missed you," Big Macintosh took Twilight into his embrace and planted one on her lips. He did not see her darting eyes, though he did regret his decision a little when he saw Spike in the background making a pukeing motion.

"I'm not hungry any more. I'm going to Rarity's," Spike left the couple to their business.

"What's wrong?" Big Macintosh asked a hyperventilating Twilight. Applejack appeared in the kitchen doorway, her shocked, pale face quickly turning red with anger.

* * *

Author's Notes: I made some changes to chapter five in Big Macintosh's flashback. Minor now but they will be important later.


	8. Chapter 8: What's Important

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 8: What's Important**

"Macintosh Apple," Applejack said coldly. Paralyzed into inaction, the red stallion and purple mare waited for Applejack to continue. To Macintosh's relief his sister did not focus her fury on Twilight, but she roughly pushed Twilight out of the way to get to her brother. "Are you drunk? Goin' round and kissin' mares like that ain't what a gentlecolt does. Especially with one of mah friends."

"Applejack." Big Macintosh tried to calm his sister down but she continued her tirade.

"Ah cain't believe you. Here Ah spend an entire afternoon for you and mah friends only to find out you've been drinkin' all day."

"Applejack." Big Macintosh tried to speak again.

"Twilight, ah'm so sorry mah brother did that to you. Ah don't know what's gotten into him."

"APPLEJACK!" Twilight Sparkle called the orange mare's name with the Royal Canterlot Voice, both siblings were amazed. They were pushed back by the force of the yell.

"What was that for?" Applejack stood firm in case of another use of the Voice.

"Your brother didn't kiss me because he's drunk," Twilight started as Big Macintosh passed his sister to stand beside the purple mare.

He strategically placed himself between his marefriend and sister before finishing Twilight's explanation. "Ah kissed her 'cause she's mah marefriend."

"What?"

"We were supposed to have dinner tonight. I wasn't expectin' you," Big Macintosh finished. "I'm sorry you found out this way. We was gonna find a way to break it you ya easy."

Applejack repeated, sounded like a broken record. "What?"

"Maybe we should all sit down and have something to drink?" Twilight suggested.

"Excuse me, Twilight, but Ah'm trying' to talk with mah brother," Applejack replied, glaring at her treacherous friend.

Twilight shrank backward. In the two years Twilight knew Applejack, only the brothers Flim and Flam invoked an expression of such intense anger.

"Ah think you should take Twilight's suggestion," Big Macintosh put himself between the two again.

"Excuse me?" Applejack directed her gaze at her brother.

"Ah'm saying you can sit down and we can talk about this like adults."

"Or what?"

"Or you can leave. Your choice," Big Macintosh matched Applejack's glare with his own. The pair could have started a fire with the heat between them.

"Fine! Ah'm leavin! Enjoy your home cooked meal Macintosh. That's the last one you're gettin' from me!" Applejack exited the library. A snapping sound followed as she whipped her tail around the doorknob and slammed it behind her.

"That didn't go as bad as Ah thought it would," Big Macintosh spoke a moment later.

"Shouldn't we go after her?" Twilight asked.

"No, she's gonna be furious for a while," Big Macintosh stated.

"So once she calms down, can we talk to her?" Twilight asked as she followed Big Macintosh into the kitchen.

"We'll try, but its gonna take awhile," Big Macintosh said.

"Maybe I should-" Twilight argued.

"Just don't. Ah know mah sister better than anyone else, and if she can do anything it's hold a grudge," Big Macintosh slid alongside Twilight to rub up against her. "We didn't do anything wrong. Ah was just kissin' my marefiend, and ah liked that."

"She seems so mad," Twilight pouted. "We were keeping a secret."

"We wouldn't have gotten this far if we hadn't." Big Macintosh slid his head along Twilight's neck before resting it on her back over her stomach. He felt no difference in Twilight's size, no movement from a growing foal. Just a warmth that radiated from the possibilities. "This is the honest truth; you, me, and the foal. Everyone else will just have to get used to it."

Twilight could not find the words so she backed away before kissing him. The red stallion enthusiastically returned it.

* * *

"They were kissing again," Spike groaned over a bowl of coal and red hot chilly peppers that Rarity had provided him.

"You're gonna have to get used to that," Rarity warned him over her own dinner of a tree nut salad with a lemon cake for dessert that she split in two. One for herself and one for Spike if the dragon was wanting.

"Twilight's parents used to kiss in front of us all the time," Spike complained.

"That just shows they love each other," Rarity explained.

"It was still gross. I didn't have much of an appetite after that. To bad, Applejack's dinner looked good. I don't understand how she would want to eat after seeing that kiss," Spike sighed longingly as the missed nut roast.

Rarity nearly choked on one of her own nuts. "Applejack saw them?"

"Yeah, she was making dinner all afternoon, and Big Macintosh decided to lay a surprise wet one on Twilight," Spike's face contorted in disgust.

"So thats why you decided to come here?" Rarity questioned him.

"Is something wrong with that?" Spike asked.

"Of course not," Rarity lied. Her hide lost its luxurious glamor and turned a ghostly pale as her stomach started to churn. She listened for the distant sounds of police sirens, ambulances, maybe even the army. She reasoned Twilight must have the necessary alarms in place to summon any authority needed. Rarity's eye started to twitch when she realized that she was preoccupying Twilight's emergency contact source. She did not want to consider her friend a threat of any level, but an angry Applejack was a dangerous Applejack.

The main door to Carousel Boutique slammed open, rattling the glass in its frame. Rarity's bell did not fare so well. The sound was silenced mid ring as the force of the opening door tore the clapper from the cup of the bell. It soared across the room, and disappeared into a pile of clearance clothing with a muffled tink.

"RARITY!" Applejack called.

"Spike, stay here?"

"Why?"

"Just please." Rarity demanded as she entered the main room of her store. Applejack's face was tomato red. Rarity would not be surprised if her ears started releasing steam and whistled like a boiling teapot. "Applejack, what is wrong with you?" Rarity already knew but she could not let a friend get away with wanton destruction of her property.

"What is wrong with me? What is wrong with me is my so called friend Twilight been sneaking' around behind my back with mah brother. That's what's wrong!" Applejack halted mid pace. "I can't believe the nerve of that mare!"

Spike emerged from the kitchen at the least opportunistic moment to voice his opinion. "I can agree with you Applejack, kissing is gross, but Twilight says that's what ponies do when they are in love."

"Spike-" Rarity tried to admonish the dragon for disobeying her order but Applejack cut her off.

"In love?" Applejack asked.

"That's what Twilight said they are," Spike explained.

"That Canterlot hussy! Seducing mah brother with her big city ways!" Applejack spoke before considering the company.

"Applejack-"

"Twilight's no hussy!" Spike spoke before Rarity's reprimand. "Just because you're mad doesn't mean you should say stuff like that. If Twilight heard she would be hurt!"

Before Applejack could speak her lips zipped shut. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the glaring Rarity. "You have to calm down Applejack. Twilight and Big Macintosh just kissed. It's not the end of the world." Applejack tried to protest behind the zipper. "Spike, why don't you go back to Twilight? She might need you right now."

"But Applejack-" Spike protested.

"I'll talk to her," Rarity reassured the dragon and sent him on his way. Applejack tried to follow but she was held down by the surprisingly strong force of Rarity's magic. "Now listen to me Applejack. You are acting like a foal, in fact you know what, that is an insult to foals everywhere. You should be happy for your brother and Twilight. I don't know where this jealousy comes from concerning your brother and his marefriends, but it's frightening."

"Let me go," the zipper around Applejack's mouth faded as Rarity focused on holding her down.

"Fine," the blue aura ceased to surround Applejack.

"At least ah know where you stand in all of this." Applejack spit on Rarity's floor before storming out of the boutique.

* * *

The flower bed outside of Sugarcube Corner rumbled slightly, and a flower was lifted several inches off the ground as a periscope shot out of the earth. It twisted and turned, this way and that before the earth around it crumbled into the hole. Pinkie Pie looked around warily before she climbed out of her hastily dug tunnel. The Cakes would not be too happy when they discovered her sudden remodeling of the basement, but she would clean it up as soon she finished her mission.

Her tail was wrapped tight around a red box bound by a purple bow. Both colors matched Big Macintosh and Twilight Sparkle's coats perfectly. Pinkie Pie looked around one last time before she made a run for it.

Promptly slamming into Rainbow Dash who had prepared herself for the force of the blow by tying one of Pinkie's own pillows around her front. "You forgot to check the clouds again," Rainbow Dash remarked.

"It's just a present," Pinkie Pie's eyes went big as she showed Rainbow Dash the present. A simple red velvet cake with purple frosting that read "Love for your Love - Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash racked her hooves through her hair. It was not as bad as the skywriting or hot air balloon Rainbow Dash had dissuaded the pink pony from hiring.

"Why don't you wait a week to give Twilight something? You already know that Big Macintosh doesn't like surprises," Rainbow Dash suggested. The red stallion was the only person in town Pinkie Pie never threw a surprise party for, per the request of Applejack. Rainbow Dash suddenly wondered if Applejack wanted to be involved in all the party planning so she could control the guest list.

"But there is so much to celebrate. I can't believe they have been together for a year without any monthly anniversary cupcakes from me," Pinkie Pie whined.

"Not everyone wants actual things when they want to celebrate. Big Macintosh and Twilight are just happy being together. Like Matilda and Cranky Doodle," Rainbow Dash regretted having to clarify Twilight and Big Macintosh's relationship to Pinkie Pie without getting permission from the couple themselves.

Rainbow Dash also regretted mentioning Cranky Doodle. Pinkie Pie's hair went flat. The former traveler just barely tolerated Pinkie Pie's presence in public situations. Polite, but every pony in town could tell he tolerated Pinkie Pie's presence for the sake of his live-in girlfriend Matilda. "I was just trying to be nice."

"You're lucky everything worked out in the end Pinkie Pie." Rainbow Dash cringed a little when Pinkie's eyes began to tear up, she quickly changed the subject. "Why don't you get started on trying to make that cake for Tank. My three month anniversary of owning Tank is coming up in two weeks? I want the party to be awesome, and a cake that both a pony and a tortoise could eat would make it great."

Pinkie Pie's hair inflated at the challenge. "Okie dokie, I'll have test samples for you the day after tomorrow." Pinkie Pie disappeared into her hole to enter Sugar Cube Corner.

Rainbow Dash shook her head as the garden fixed itself. She turned around to find Applejack staring at her. The pegasus stamped the ground nervously. "So how much of that did you hear?"

"Enough," Applejack said. "How long have you know about them dating?"

"About a month now," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"And you kept it from me?"

"They kept it from everyone else. They didn't want anyone else to know."

"No wonder why that city slicker was so comfortable with laying a big one on mah brother in front of me."

"They kissed in front of you?"

"Twilight Sparkle obviously enchanted Big Macintosh somehow, and what's worse is that all of you are IN ON IT!" Applejack yelled the last part before leaving a very confused Rainbow Dash behind.

* * *

Spike rushed back to the library to discover Big Macintosh and Twilight eating Applejack's dinner without Applejack. "Are you alright?" Spike asked.

"What's wrong Spike?" Twilight said.

"When I was eating dinner at Rarity's, Applejack came into the store all angry and started calling you names," Spike explained.

"What did she call Twilight?" Big Macintosh stood from his chair and pushed it back under the table.

"She called Twilight a seducer and a hussy," Spike explained.

"She said what?" Twilight's voice cracked in surprise.

Big Macintosh expected that but exclaimed, "In front of you?"

"Yes," Spike said.

"Twilight, if you'll excuse me. I have to go talk to mah sister."

Despite being insulted Twilight proved to be more level headed. "While you're this angry?"

"Ah reckon Ah could cool my hooves if'n Ah take the long way home. ," Big Macintosh reassure her before leaving.

"Why is all of this happening. I mean, you're just in love," Spike asked.

Twilight paused before pushing away her own plate. She stood and lead Spike to a couch. "Sit down, we need to talk?"

"There's more?"

"There's a lot more," Twilight sighed. "Applejack's angry because she has a hard time accepting changes. That's the main reason why Big Macintosh wanted to keep this a secret for so long. We just wanted to make sure this was something that would last before somepony else tried to end it for us. I also didn't want the same thing that happened with Young Blood in Canterlot."

"But he really hurt you," Spike protested.

"Yes, but we were also young and stupid and it hurt more when other ponies tried to interfere," Twilight Sparkle did not have to speak Shining Armor's name out loud.

Spike did. "Shining Armor was just trying to protect you."

"I love Shiney, but he did too good of a job trying protecting me from the pain. I was so afraid of getting hurt that I didn't try to date again, and even if there was a stallion for me in Canterlot, Shining Armor would have made sure we never met," Twilight admitted. "There are going to be some changes coming. I just want to know that no matter what you and Big Macintosh are very, very important to me."

"Are you guys gonna get married?" Spike asked, excited at the thought of actually being able to throw a bachelor party. As soon as he found out what it was.

"Eventually," she said. "Remember what Celestia said to us about why your first governess had to leave?"

"Water Lily? Celestia said that she and her husband really loved each other, and because of that love they were going to have a foal," Spike replied then thought about it for a moment. "Are you and Big Macintosh going to have a foal?"

"Yes," Twilight said.

She could see the gears working in his head. His face suddenly countered with worry. "But you're not gonna leave-"

She gently put a hoof to his shoulder. "Of course not." She swept him up in a motherly embrace. "Never. Water Lily was hired to care for you. We care about each other no matter what. You're family Spike, and whatever ends up happening we go through it together."

"Alright." Spike hid his tears be wiping them on Twilight's coat. There was more he wanted to talk about, but now he was okay with waiting.


	9. Chapter 9: Between Siblings

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 9: Between Siblings**

The sun finally set, casting the Apple farm various shades of red and gold to blue and purple as the last rays disappeared over the distant horizon. Crickets and lightning bugs chirped and buzzed in the distance. Fireflies started their nightly dance. Big Macintosh arrived in the family kitchen to discover the farm house settling down for the night. The plates, glasses, forks, knives, and spoons sat drying in their rack. Dinner had been a simple affair for the remaining Apples, most likely sandwiches or reheated supper. The red stallion walked into the main room of the house to discover Granny Smith snoring away in her rocking chair and Apple Bloom completing her homework.

"Have you seen AJ around?" Big Macintosh asked.

"She came home a while ago and made us peanut butter and banana sandwiches," Apple Bloom answered. "Then she said she had a favor she needed to do for Fluttershy, something about bucking up a log."

_At least she is not taking her anger out on any one,_ Big Macintosh thought. He figured she would finish the job to avoid the house, maybe even spend the night at Fluttershy's to avoid talking to him. He decided it would be best to wait a few more hours before he sought his sister. "You need help with your summer homework?"

"Ah'm doin' okay on mah own," Apple Bloom scratched the back of her head nervously.

Big Macintosh sighed. "How many of your daily word problems are done?"

"Enough."

"How many behind?"

"Just two weeks."

"Apple Bloom."

After five word problems, ten tries at memorizing multiplication tables, and a three hour long game of monopoly, Big Macintosh tucked a protesting Apple Bloom into bed.

"But Ah'm not tired!"

Big Macintosh ignored her complaints and walked toward the exit. He heard a gentle snore and smiled as he turned off her light. "G'night lil' sis."

Big Macintosh stretched the crick in his neck after gently shutting Apple Bloom's door. He descended the stairs and his grandmother woke with a snort.

"What had your sister so huffy t'night? She came home early from that dinner she was supposed to have with you and your friends. I never in all my days heard anyone make sandwiches so loudly," Granny Smith commented.

Big Macintosh huffed before replying. "There's a girl, and Applejack found out in the worst way possible."

Granny Smith giggled a bit before responding. "So some mare finally made it cross the great wall of Applejack? I'm supposin' it ain't Fluttershy, too much pressure on your sister's part for any spark's to fly there. Is it Carrot Top?"

"It's Twilight Sparkle," Big Macintosh stated.

"Who?" Granny Smith tried to match the name to a face.

"The unicorn from Canterlot,," Big Macintosh said.

"Who?" Granny inquired further.

"She helped the farm twice," Big Macintosh explained.

"Twilight Sparkle," Granny Smith pondered. "Good mare, would have a better head on her shoulders if she weren't so high strung."

"Yes Granny," Big Macintosh said. "She's the one who made it past the great wall of Applejack."

"Really?" Granny asked.

"Really," Big Macintosh said.

"Does she makes you happy?" Granny asked.

"Yes," Big Macintosh smiled briefly at the thought of the purple unicorn tending to Spike in the library. He imagined a purple foal tucked at her side in place of the dragon. "Do you know where Applejack went to after she made dinner for you and Apple Bloom."

"She mentioned something about finishing a chore for Fluttershy you were supposed to do," Granny said.

"Thanks Granny." Big Macintosh gave his grandmother a quick kiss on the forehead. She fell back to sleep as Big Macintosh left.

* * *

Through a sixth sense, Applejack was able to find the weak spots in the wood of the oak that would fuel Fluttershy's hearth. She did not need an axe, just a knowledge of where to strike so that the trunk could be broken up into smaller and smaller pieces. It was rhythmic and calming for Applejack, but her temper simmered under the surface of an apparently calm exterior.

She could almost forget Twilight Sparkle's betrayal and her brother's foolishness.

Fluttershy did not say anything when her friend arrived in her yard to buck the tree. Instead Fluttershy set up lamps to light the darkness of the night. Eventually she brought her friend a triple tiered, griddle fried egg, cheese, and lettuce sandwich when Applejack was about a third of the way done with her chore.

Applejack accepted the food gratefully. She was starved after an evening of preparing two meals and not eating anything herself. "Thanks Fluttershy, Ah could really use the boost."

"You didn't have to do this now Applejack. I'm sure you have had a long day's work," Fluttershy said.

"Ah know, its just ah don't wanna be home or in town right now," Applejack removed her stetson to fan herself.

"What's wrong?" Fluttershy inquired.

Applejack sighed as she put the hat back on her head. "Mah brother, that's what's wrong. Twilight Sparkle's been playing my family like fools. My brother says they're dating'."

"What is so wrong with that?" Fluttershy asked innocently.

"Well, you and him…" Applejack tried to find the right words. She actually could not claim that Fluttershy and Big Macintosh had ever been involved with one another. Just dates and excursions set up by Applejack herself. Despite her best efforts, nothing had sparked between the pair.

"Are very good friends and neighbors," Fluttershy finished.

"It still ain't right. They've been keepin' it secret from me," Applejack protested.

"Maybe they just wanted to make sure it was more than a passing interest. I'm sure the last thing either Twilight and Big Macintosh wanted was to start dating then lose interest in one another. If it happened in secret at least it would only be awkward between them and not affect anything else," Fluttershy masterfully avoided the elephant nervously pawing the ground next to her.

Before Applejack could protest a voice spoke up. "Applejack," Big Macintosh appeared from the shadows of the woods that surrounded Fluttershy's yard.

"Macintosh," Applejack finished her sandwich and walked back to the trunk.

"I'll leave you two alone," Applejack twitched as Fluttershy returned to her house, without giving Applejack a chance to protest.

Applejack bucked wood for the next hour as her brother waited patiently beside her. She was sweating buckets and still had another half of the tree to go. "Ah could use some help," Applejack said.

"Ah don't want to do chores AJ, we need to talk," Big Macintosh said.

"Ah have nothin' to say to you," Applejack said.

"Then you can listen," Big Macintosh forced himself between Applejack and the tree trunk. She backed away, too exhausted to fight back. "Now it's okay to be angry. Ah can see your point. Ah'm sorry I was lying to you, but you have to get over this. There is nothing wrong with me and Twilight Sparkle. In fact, everything is more right for me because of it."

"But she-" Applejack tried to protest.

Big Macintosh cut her off. "Is the pony Ah love and A'hm goin' to marry."

Applejack shook her her in confusion. "What?"

"It's been going on for a year Applejack. Ah know it might seem sudden to you, but it's the right time for Twilight and me. This is serious, she's the one," Big Macintosh said.

"No."

"Beg pardon?"

"Ah said 'NO!'" Applejack's anger boiled through her calm facade. "Ain't nothin' good ever come from a lie, and that's all you've been doin'!"

"Ah said Ah'm sorr..."

She cut him off with a hoof thrust painfully in his chest. "Sorry for what? For gallivantin' around with some hussy battin' her eyes like a toad in a hailstorm or for not trustin' your own sister? What would Pa think..."

"Pa," he interjected, "would be happy for me. Something you don't seem capable of!"

"How DARE you! I'd be happy for you if you weren't being a complete idjit! Instead I gotta protect you from your own stupid!"

"It ain't stupidity. It's what's gonna happen. You can either straighten up and be happy for us, or you can keep your thoughts to yourself." He adopted the sternest look in his arsenal. "Ah ain't gonna stand for ua throwin' tantrums and hissyfits, and Ah won't let you treat Twilight like that again."

"Whaddaya gonna do about it?" She jammed her face into his.

Applejack staggered forward when he turned away. He heaved a tired sigh. "Walk away. If'n ya cain't treat Twilight like family, then you're no family to me."

Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. He did noy see the look on her face as he walked away.


	10. Chapter 10: Letters

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 10: Letters**

Beyond the glow of Fluttershy's lanterns, on the path that forked to the Everfree Forest, Sweet Apple Acres, or Ponyville, Big Macintosh waited for his sister. The distant chopping of wood declared Applejack's stance on the matter of her brother's relationship. Big Macintosh lowered his head in exhaustion and considered his options: the road to the farm or the the road to Ponyville.

Going to the farm would result in a night of restless sleep and a rehash of tonight's argument. He did not want to brush Applejack's words under the proverbial rug, but if they fought in front of their family, Granny Smith would expect him to back down.

For a moment Big Macintosh's started rationalizing his family's faults. It was not Auger's fault he hit him as a colt, he was under a lot of stress. As for his sister's anger, she was just looking out for him, trying to protect her brother from heartbreak._ "Do you really want to make an issue out of this Big Macintosh? Do you even have time for a marefriend with all the works that needs to be done around the farm? Is a passin' fancy worth more to ya than yer own flesh n' blood?"_ Granny Smith had said to him once after a particularly bad argument with his sister, but the words stung more now.

Then there was the path to Ponyville and eventually the Books and Branches Library. It would be mostly dark save for the light over the door, and whatever lamp she needed to study by. Twilight would not mind the late night interruption, and considering the mishap at dinner, she was probably waiting.

He headed for the library.

* * *

Twilight Sparkle considered the letter before her, it was simple, elegant, right to the point, and her twentieth revision. A hoot from Owlowiscious surprised the worrying insomniac. Spike and Peewee easily slept through the owl's warning alerts as Twilight opened the door to her bedroom. The owl returned to it's nightly chore, dusting the bookshelves. A gentle rapping at the front door drew her attention.

Twilight found an exhausted Big Macintosh on the other side of her door. "What are you doing up, its almost midnight?" Twilight hurried the red stallion into the library. "How'd things go with your sister?"

"As bad as I thought it would," Big Macintosh walked to Twilight's couch and slumped onto it. It creaked ominously but held under the pressure of Big Macintosh's uncaring weight.

"Well your sister is the Element of Honesty. I can only imagine how much a lie, especially from somepony so close to her, would hurt her."

"There ain't no excuse for anypony getting that angry over somepony else's private life."

"But..." She joined him on the couch and snuggled in close. "She's your family."

"Well you are going…" Big Macintosh stopped himself before deciding "…you are too, and the pony ya love has gotta come before everythin' else. It's tradition. The stallion leaves home to build a new family with his wife. My uncle and my great uncles all did it. AJ is just gonna have to come around."

* * *

Applejack trudged along the familiar path from Fluttershy's house to her own. She did not need light, just the familiar ground and smells of her homestead to tell her where she was. Despite the welcoming sight, her tail dragged from physical and emotional exhaustion. It was difficult to put one hoof in front of the other. She knew she should have spent the night at Fluttershy's, but all she wanted now was the welcoming creak of her floorboards and the comfort of her own bed.

Granny Smith woke with a start as Applejack accidentally let the front door slam shut. "What what?" She grabbed her knitting needles and searched the darkness for home invaders.

Applejack appeared from the shadows and put a familiar hoof on her grandmother's shoulder. "Sorry Granny, just gettin' home late from working at Fluttershy's."

Granny Smith yawned as she settled down in her rocking chair. She knew she should go to bed, but the chair had been her frequent resting place. It had been carved from the first Zap Apple tree to fall in their grove. "Did you get the job done?"

"Still have to do the rest of the tree tomorrow," Applejack stretched. "Is Big Mac around?"

"He told me he was goin' to talk with you," Granny Smith said. " Is everything alright?"

"He left before me. I'm sure he just snuck in earlier and a might quieter than I did," Applejack reassured her grandmother who fell quickly back asleep. The orange pony waited for a moment before a second wind prompted her to ascend the stairway to her brother's room. His empty room, the bed sitting untouched since he made it that morning. There was only one other place that her brother would consider staying. Applejack did not want to think about it.

But she did.

Twilight wrapped around her brother in an indecent manner, whispering disloyalty into her brother's waiting ears. Applejack could not help but imagining poor, innocent Spike walking in on the pair in their throes of passion. The vision ended with Spike's face morphing into a horrified Apple Bloom.

Applejack rushed to her sister room to discover the pale yellow filly sleeping peacefully. She held her hoof to her chest as her breathing steadied and her heart stilled.

She walked back to her room with determination, she had letters to write.

* * *

Big Macintosh yawned as Twilight nibbled and kissed his ear and neck affectionately. "What are you doing up so late?" he asked the surprisingly energetic Twilight.

"Nothing, I'm just not tired." Twilight stopped nibbling and rested her head comfortably on Big Macintosh's. He reluctantly concluded she was not being suggestive. He waited for her to relax but her body remained tense.

"What's wrong?" Big Macintosh turned his eyes up towards the purple mare.

"Nothing," Twilight forced her own shut.

"Twilight." Big Macintosh reluctantly pulled himself out from under Twilight and looked her in the eyes.

She sighed. "If you have to know, I think it's pregnancy insomnia. I have not been sleeping that well."

"You made an appointment to go to the doctor's, right?"

"Yes, first one is tomorrow actually. You'll be there, right?"

"Of course," Twilight snuggled into Big Macintosh's chest and waited. The red stallion refused to relax. "What?"

"What's really botherin' ya?" Big Macintosh prompted.

"If you have to know. I've been trying to write a letter to my parents," Twilight floated the letter to Big Macintosh for inspection.

**_Dear Mom and Dad,_**

**_I have something important I need to talk to you about in person. Please come to Ponyville as soon as possible, an please don't inform Shining Armor of your visit._**

**_Love, _**  
**_Twilight Sparkle_**

"That's all?" Big Macintosh asked.

"Well I don't want to risk any written evidence for my brother, and as long as I am vague even if he sees this he'll probably just think it's a surprise for him," Twilight explained. "Its not like I can tell them with a letter that I am pregnant and getting married." Twilight regretted the last part, they hadn't actually discussed marriage.

To her surprise and relief, Big Macintosh had already thought about it. "I think a winter wedding would be perfect."

"Really?" Twilight asked as Big Macintosh rested his head between Twilight's four limbs again. "And a honeymoon somewhere warm like the Applewood Hills or Los Pegasus."

"Hmm…" Big Macintosh hummed in agreement before falling asleep in Twilight's warm embrace.

* * *

At two in the morning, Applejack considered the letter before her. A letter to Twilight's parents had been discarded when Applejack realized she did not know their address. The princess was impossible because Applejack's only direct connection to them was Spike, and Applejack knew he would not send a letter without wanting to read it first. She did not want to risk a letter through the mail either because she figured palace staff must screen letters sent to Celestia by more conventional means. She did not want some Canterlot snob forming an opinion on her brother.

That left Shining Armor. She had Princess Cadence's private address because the mare of love was interested in a monthly pie order from Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack figured that if she directed her letter to Shining Armor that it would just go straight to him, and even if Cadence read it first she would not keep this from her husband.

Applejack tapped her quill against her face absentmindedly, blotting her fur, before finally deciding to sign it.

_**Captain Shining Armor,**_

_**It is my belief that you should be made aware of the actions of your sister. She has been carrying an affair in secret with my brother, Macintosh Apple, for the previous year. I am afraid for both of our siblings well being. If this relationship ends poorly it could be detrimental to the bonds between the Elements of Harmony. If you could please come to Ponyville to have a frank discussion with your sister, I would appreciate it.**_

_**Sincerely**_  
_**Applejack**_  
_**Element of Honesty**_


	11. Chapter 11: Of Needles and Points

**Family Matters****  
Chapter 11: Of Needles and Points**

As Celestia's sun began its daily trek across the skies, nature's call pulled Spike from his dreaming in the wee morning hours. He normally did not get up this early, but the last few day's tension threw off his schedule. Groggy, he staggered around the dim upstairs. Disoriented and with mounting urgence, he gave up on finding the suddenly elusive upstairs bathroom and trundled downstairs.

Spike sighed upon reaching the bathroom and relieving himself. A disgusting sight awaited the unwitting dragon as he emerged from the lavatory. He blinked away the morning blurriness and stared at the red and purple tangle of pony sleeping on the couch. He could not believe he missed Big Macintosh's baritone snores. "That's so gross!"

Big Macintosh's eyes snapped open at Spike's distress. He could not see the problem but could feel it. Thick ropes of saliva dribbled from Twilight's lips, creating an expanding patch of burgundy on Big Macintosh's otherwise bright red coat. He propped Twilight head up for a moment before replacing himself with a pillow. The exhausted mare fell into it, oblivious to the actions of her future husband. Big Macintosh's mane stuck out at all ends. "Ah think Ah'm gonna need a shower and a towel."

Spike showed him the way to the linen closet and the shower. "Is this going to happen all that time?"

A bashful smile tugged at his lips as he deftly deflected the question, "Why don't you go to Sugarcube Corner and get some breakfast for us. I don't have any bits on me at the moment, but I can pay you back later. Don't wake Twilight up either, she needs to rest."

"I know what Twilight needs," Spike grumbled under his breath.

Big Macintosh placated. "Listen Spike, Ah just wanted to thank you for handlin' this so well and takin' care of Twilight when Ah can't be there."

Spike could not find the words as Big Macintosh entered the bathroom to clean himself up. He left the sleeping Twilight and showering Big Macintosh to perform his duty.

* * *

After a few short hours of fitful sleep, Applejack woke and grumbled to Celestia's dawn. The letter was sealed on the dresser next to her bed just waiting to be delivered to the post office. Applejack would not risk putting it in the farm's personal box for Big Macintosh to find.

She stared at her correspondence for a good five minutes, questioning her motives and anger over the past twenty four hours. She could not put her hoof on it, but she felt off. _Why am I feelin' guilty? I'm just bein' honest._

She was pulled from her thoughts when Apple Bloom burst in. "AJ? Big Macintosh isn't in bed."

Suddenly she did not feel guilty anymore.

* * *

Twilight woke to the gentle aroma of breakfast wafting through the library. She stretched the cricks out of her back and shuffled into the kitchen. Her eyes widened on the array of food that waited to be eaten. Eggs served sunny side up, scrambled, and a couple of omelets bloated with cheese and fresh vegetables. Butter smeared french toast stood next to towers of waffles and pancakes stuffed with strawberry and blueberries. A gallon of orange juice and milk sat waiting to be poured.

Spike sat by the eggs, drooling and waiting to jump in. A drying Big Macintosh stared at the food with equal shock and hunger as his stomach grumbled loudly. "Ah thought you were just goin' to get some muffins or cinnamon buns or something."

Neither noticed Twilight had woken up.

"Pinkie Pie insisted on sending this all over," Spike said.

"It smells great," Twilight passed the still standing pair and snatched a plate Spike had set up for breakfast. She immediately set to piling her plate high with one of the omelets, and a combination of the waffles and french toast.

"Well, no use letting all this good food go to waste," Spike started to pile food onto his own plate. Big Macintosh did not speak but instead joined them.

They ate in relative silence, only the clinking of cutlery against plates disturbed the peace. At least until Spike let out a loud burp. He let himself fall backward off his stool to digest. "Are you going to finish that?" Twilight stared at his untouched scrambled eggs.

"I will… eventually," Spike propped himself on elbows to eye the food. Twilight focused on them with the intensity of a starved mare. "Fine, you can have them."

"If you insist." Twilight floated the eggs to her own plate. She ended up eating nearly half of the prepared meal.

Big Macintosh took to cleaning up breakfast as Twilight and Spike digested. "Spike, I need you to send this letter to my parents."

"Do I have to now?"

"Yes, Spike."

"But it's so hard directing letters to ponies other than Princess Celestia."

"I'm sure you can manage, you stuffed yourself with more than enough food to fuel it."

"I'm not the only one who stuffed themselves."

"I'm eating for two Spike. Just send the letter."

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, not everypony in Canterlot lived in castles. Over the millennia many estates had been converted to multi family homes. Twilight Sparkle's parents, Twilight Velvet and Night Light, lived in part of an estate formerly completely owned by the Lady Diamond Jubilee. The ancient earth pony still lived in one quarter of her former estate. Half had been sold decades ago to screw with her husband's family. After a suggestion from Princess Celestia, a personal friend of the lady, Diamond Jubilee had sold another half of her remaining household to an up and coming unicorn family.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light's home consisted of the estate's old library, a parlor, and several other rooms. The parlor room had long since become Twilight Velvet and Night Light's bedroom, and part of the ground floor of the library became the kitchen, dining room, front hallway, and living room. The second floor consisted of bedrooms for the children, and the rest became a play room, then study room, and finally guest bedroom as the children aged.

Night Light trudged out of his room with his wife stumbling behind him. "We are too old to be doing that more than once a week," the stallion checked his side. "Do I have any rope burns?"

"You sure you don't want to try for another go," Velvet slinked her way up to her husband and pressed herself against him. A decade ago, Night Light would have jumped at the chance for a second round. All he wanted now was to listen to the morning weather on the radio in the library.

A burst of flame flying through an open window and manifesting a letter from their daughter offered Night Light an escape. "It's a letter from Twilight." Night Light placed the remainder of their adult children between himself and his wife. It's presence did stop Velvet from giving her husband bedroom eyes. "This is strange."

"What's wrong?" Velvet leaned over the top of the letter and tried to read it upside down.

"Twilight wants us to visit and not tell her brother." Velvet's following squeal to Night Light's answer rivaled the royal Canterlot voice.

"Twilight must have a colt friend she wants to introduce." Velvet giggled with excitement, and covered her hooves with her mouth to suppress the girlish action. "If we get ready now we can grab one of the express trains for tonight."

"Maybe we should give it a day?"

"Night Light, this could be our daughter's future!" Velvet left her husband in the dust as she scurried into their room to start packing.

* * *

The waiting room at the doctor's office was a sterile but warm place, with eggshell painted walls and wooden chairs with a thick veneer and vinyl padding that made them easy to see. Big Macintosh sat silently as Twilight checked herself in, a bead of sweat forming on his brow. Spike sat across from him flipping idly through an old magazine.

"You're welcome to come in Spike," Twilight tried to make the dragon feel like he belonged.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I don't want to see them stick something in you in places I don't want to see."

"Spike, that isn't going to happen?"

"Are you sure?"

"Twilight Sparkle?" called the nurse in the doorway. Twilight and Big Macintosh stood. The nurse beckoned them over, "Right this way, please."

The nurse led them down a tight hallway, chatting good-naturedly with Twilight. Big Macintosh didnot listen, he was too busy staring straight over their heads down the constricting hall. The antiseptic air hung stale and heavy over him. Each closed door undoubtedly hid a collection of tools, machines, devices... needles.

"Big Macintosh? Are you going to come in?" Twilight asked, a mixture of concern and confusion in her voice.

"Err.. yes." He wasn't sure when they had arrived, or how long he had stood frozen in the doorway. He shook his head and walked into the room.

"Ah'm fine." The rest of the visit was a bit of a blur for Big Macintosh as Twilight discussed her condition with the doctor and the nurse. Big Macintosh focused when the nurse mentioned drawing a blood sample.

"Blood sample?" Big Macintosh repeated absentmindedly.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Twilight asked. The nurse had already shaved a patch of on the backside of her lower right front leg. The unicorn swabbed the bared skin with an alcohol swab.

"Ah'm fine," Big Macintosh stated. The snap of rubber around Twilight's legs forced the stallion to concentrate. He was able to keep himself calm until the nurse pulled out the blood drawing kit with a long needle. The nurse pricked Twilight's skin, and blood flowed from the line into a container. From Big Macintosh's perspective, at least before he fainted, the needle must have been a foot long.

* * *

Big Macintosh woke a few minutes later to Twilight fanning him with the nurse's clipboard, and a second nurse preparing to roll Big Macintosh onto a stretcher. He stood before anyone would find the need to prick him. "What happened?"

"You fainted," Twilight asked.

"Are you alright sir?" the second nurse asked.

"Ah'm fine. Twilight, need anythin' else?" Big Macintosh tried to redirect the conversation.

"I don't need anything else. Just to make another appointment to see the doctor in a month's time," Twilight explained. "What do you need?"

"Ah just need some air." Big Macintosh left the bewildered Twilight and nurse behind. He ignored Spike's questioning wave before leaving the hospital. He stopped at a park nearby to catch his breath. Twilight and Spike caught up with him several moments later. Twilight did not stop until she reached Big Macintosh. Spike left the adults to their discussion as he focused on savoring a lollipop nearly as large as his fist.

"Why didn't tell me you had belonephobia?" Twilight asked as she held a bag of ice against Big Macintosh's head.

"Because ah'm thirty and they're just needles," Big Macintosh muttered as Twilight rubbed the bump with the ice They had left the hospital quickly after Twilight finished her appointment and Big Macintosh recovered in the lounge. The red stallion had refused to speak until they were out of sight of the hospital and resting in a park.

"I think this is going to be swollen for the rest of the day, and it's okay if you're afraid. Everypony has something they are afraid of," Big Macintosh grinned at Twilight's reassurance though deflated with her next sentence. "This is something you're going to have to work on though. There's going to be a lot more shots for both of us. Including the vaccinations you might have been skipping."

Before Big Macintosh could protest, a yelling voice disrupted his protest. "BIG MAC, YER ALIVE!" Apple Bloom yelled as she ran into her brother's unsuspecting embrace.

"Apple Bloom," Big Macintosh choked as his sister embraced his neck. Twilight held a calm face as Applejack appeared with fully laden saddle bags.

"Ah was so worried," Apple Bloom clung to her brother.

"You weren't in bed this morning," Applejack said, her voice curt and frigid.

"Where were ya? We were so worried. What happened?" Apple Bloom asked.

Big Macintosh and Applejack glared at one another.

Twilight came up with an explanation. "He had an early morning with me," Twilight admitted without getting into specifics.

"What about last-" Applejack started to ask.

Twilight cut her off. "We were trying to figure out the best way to tell you... we're dating."

"Excuse-" Applejack tried to speak again.

"You're Big Macintosh's special somepony? Really?" Apple Bloom asked excitedly.

"Yes, we were going to spend the rest of the day together. Would you like to spend it with us?" Twilight asked.

"Can ah?" Apple Bloom looked up at her brother with big, pleading eyes.

"As long as Applejack says it's alright. Maybe she would like to spend the rest of the day with us too?" He looked at Applejack hopefully.

Applejack's eyes narrowed momentarily before she managed to school her expression. "Ah would _love_ to, but ah cain't. Got stuff I gotta do for _our farm._ Mostly paperwork to be handled and letters to be sent."

"Aww... come on Applejack," Apple Bloom begged.

Applejack's stern expression warmed as she looked down at her little sister. "Sorry, Sugarcube. But Ah got chores." Her smile tightened as she looked back to her brother. "I expect I'll see you at home tonight?" It didn't sound like a question.

Big Macintosh gave a small, noncommittal shrug as Applejack turned left without another word.

Spike finished his sugary sweet and concentrated on the change of dynamics. "What just happened?"

"We're gonna celebrate Big Macintosh and Twilight Sparkle's love!" Pinkie Pie appeared from a bush with a blast of confetti. "Finally?"

Big Macintosh gaped like a fish out of water as he tried to find the words. Twilight spoke for him. "It's as good a time as any." Twilight snuggled close to her colt friend as Apple Bloom, Spike, and Pinkie Pie talked excitedly about the party.

* * *

Shining Armor sighed at the pile of mail before him. He wished he could could just pack the letters away somewhere until Cadence returned home from her diplomatic tour of Canineda in the north, but if Twilight and his wife shared anything it was obsessive tendencies. She would always organize the mail into bills, junk, and personal; each category breaking down into a multitude of more specific categories. It was a convoluted system, but what could he do? Shining Armor figured it stemmed from her role as a paragon of romance, why else would she be so letter obsessed?

He threw away the junk mail, and neatly organized the bills and any letters to Cadence into two separate piles with the largest envelops at the bottoms. There were several other pyramids of mail waiting for Cadence to return home. There were two letters for himself, one from Cadence and a second letter with markings that indicated some pony had wanted it to arrive quickly.

**_Dearest Shining,_**

**_This diplomatic tour is agonizingly boring without you. I won't inflict the details on you, but suffice it to say it involves shaking a lot of hooves._**

**_I'm afraid the time allotted for me to compose this correspondence is very limited, so know that I miss you and am keeping you in my thoughts._**

**_Love Eternally,_**

**_Cadence._**

**_P.S. There is the possibility I will be arriving home early if the meetings with the Diamond Dogs go well._**

Shining Armor filed the letter under _things his wife may or may not want to see as some point in the future_ without really finishing reading it. He concentrated on the heavily stamped envelop from Ponyville. His eyes widened in shock and horror as he read the letter. Then read it a second and third time to make sure he was reading it correctly

An explosion of light purple energy followed as he teleported out of the house, disrupting the piles of letters he had been stacking for the past week and covering his entire kitchen with black magical soot.

* * *

Shining Armor literally smoked as he appeared in front of his parent's house. He never had the precision that his sister learned when it came to handling his vast wellspring of magic. His spells had the tendency to be underpowered or overpowered, as was the case with his near flaming teleport. Shining Armor went to open the front door, and accidentally ripped it off its hidings. A silent alarm went off in several offices around Canterlot as Shining Armor explored the inside of his parents house.

The lights were off and all the windows locked down as well as the back and the side door. Shining Armor checked his parent's bedroom, the childhood teddy bear this his father kept, and wanted no one else knowing about, was missing. Wherever his parents were they were gone for the night. "Stop right there, criminal scum!" Three of Shining Armor's own guards, a dark grey unicorn stallion and a pair of pegasi stallions, stood in the entrance of the house.

"Ah Lieutenant Young Blood, good alarm response time," Shining Armor said as he floated the door back into it's frame. The door slammed ominously as Shining Armor tried to replace it, the ancient wood cracking on the side with the hinges.

"Is everything alright?" the other stallion inquired.

"I'm not sure," Shining Armor admitted though the word affair blazed brightly in his mind's eye. "I need to take a chariot to Ponyville immediately. Silver Lining, is that you?"

One of the identical pegasus guards rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Yes."

"Perfect, remember how we won the Alfrodull Run?" Shining Armor remembered the marathon chariot race fondly.

"Oh Sweet Celestia, you're not suggesting pulling that stunt to get to Ponyville faster, are you?" Young Blood who questioned the captain's plan.

"Yes, I am, and since I need to retain my wits and energy for whatever is happening in Ponyville you are going to help me get there!"


	12. Chapter 12: An Early Evening Fight

**Family Matters  
Chapter 12: An Early Evening Fight**

"We can have a huge party with all of Ponyville there and tons of purple and red heart shaped balloons, and cupcakes, and a cake, and cookies, and the party canon-" A zipper appeared and zipped shut across Pinkie's mouth. The purple aura around Twilight's horn faded as the party pony patted her mouth.

"Calm down, Pinkie, you're getting Apple Bloom too excited." With a pop she dismissed the zipper. "How about a nice, _small_dinner at the library? Apple Bloom, you haven't tried a crusade of letter design and delivery yet. Why don't you get Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle then meet us back at the library?"

"That's a great idea!" Apple Bloom immediately forgot the big party plans in favor of a quest. "Ah'll get right on it!" Apple Bloom saluted before running off to find her friends.

Twilight spoke before dispelling the zipper. "Listen Pinkie Pie, I know you like the big parties but we just want a small family and friend affair. That should be the six of us, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I think I can trust you to handle the food and decorations?"

"Ah fine if you want to be a spoilsport," Pinkie Pie sighed but her pink cotton candy hair remained intact as she bounced off.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Big Macintosh stood beside Twilight and watched as Pinkie hopped away.

She pressed herself comfortably against the stallion's side. "It will keep everypony busy for a couple hours and give your sister time to cool off. What could go wrong?"

* * *

Shining Armor spent a few hours driving his secretary insane as he freed up his schedule for the next several days as he planned an unexpected trip to Ponyville. No, he was not sure how long he would be gone for. Yes, he would appreciate not being disturbed. All correspondence could wait until after his vacation unless it was from his wife, parents, or an omega level emergency by a hoof written by the Princesses themselves. Shining Armor's secretary and second-in-command would spend the next few weeks trying to undo the administrative knot the Captain of the Guard created by his unexpected leave of absence.

"Shining Armor would prefer that we don't go in uniform," Silver Lining said as he and Young Blood waited for their captain to arrive at their waiting chariot. They had bags packed for an indefinite period. The white Silver Lining turned dark gray as he freed himself from his glamered armor. His close-cropped silver mane stood in contrast to his long tail. His non-regulation tail was bound in a tight bun, he could only let it out when off-duty.

"Something bad is going to come from this. I just know it." Young Blood reluctantly removed his own armor and stored it in chariot. The unicorn's own fur was naturally white, but there was a peculiar black and blonde striped pattern to his mane and tail. His tail was docked like many of his comrades did.

"Calm, down Youngling." Young Blood twitched at Silver Lining's use of the nickname. "We are basically getting two paid days off."

"You're not the one who is going to have to hold the chariot aloft for two hours."

Silver Lining rolled his eyes at the younger guard's nerves. "You'll be fine."

"Ah good, you're both ready." Shining Armor appeared before his fellow soldiers in a flash of purple energy. "You ready to do this Young Blood?"

"No."

"I like your honesty. Carry on," Shining Armor boarded the chariot with a reluctant Young Blood. Silver Lining winked at the reluctant unicorn before hitching himself in the front. Young Blood remembered the year Silver Lining and Shining Armor won the Alfrodull Run. It was a twelve hour battle, marathon chariot race. A pair of ponies, a pegasus and a unicorn, competed. The pegasus pulled the chariot while his teammate defended him and disrupted other competitors with magic. The Shining/Silver team held the record due to Silver's endurance and Shining's powerful shielding magic. Without the need to waste energy flying evasively, they completed the run in record ten hour twenty three minutes. Shining suffered magic fatigue for two weeks, and Silver was sidelined for a month with wing strain, and they were banned from competition by royal decree, but they went down in the history books.

Now Shining Armor expected Young Blood to maintain that same shield. The shield proved to have an unexpected side effect in practice, not only did it negate attacks, it also negated atmospheric pressures. Without drag they had beaten the old record by hours, and that was a marathon. In a sprint, the effects would be even more pronounced. Shining figured they could make the flight to Ponyville in two hours, Young Blood was not as optimistic. Regardless, he encased the chariot in a green aura and they streaked off.

* * *

"We've never tried getting a delivery cutie mark before," Sweetie Belle mused out loud as Scootaloo raced through Ponyville with the other two fillies on her wagon.

"It's gonna be great. Maybe Mrs. Doo will let us borrow her postpony's hat?" Apple Bloom suggested.

"I don't think I want a package for a Cutie Mark," Scootaloo said. "So how long has Twilight been Big Macintosh's special somepony?"

"She didn't say."

"You don't think they were together last Hearts and Hooves Day, where they?" Scootaloo pondered out loud. The two in the back grew silent as they considered the quandary.

* * *

Big Macintosh, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike sat around the library in a domestic, comfortable silence as they waited for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. At his desk, Spike studied a book on Eastern Sea Dragon languages; he worked on memorizing the forty two letter alphabet by copying it over and over again. Big Macintosh appeared to be reading a dictionary, but was actually using that as a cover to read one of Twilight's baby books. Twilight kept herself busy by setting up crafting supplies for the girls and starting lunch.

A thump against one of the library's roots was the only warning. Big Macintosh and Spike were so engrossed in their respective studies that neither bothered to look up. Twilight turned towards the thump but quickly returned to the task of pouring milk for the foals.

The library door swinging open and slamming against the wall did get her attention.

"Twilight-"

"We're so sorry," Apple Bloom finished Sweetie Belle's start. The pair ran up to Twilight and threw themselves into her legs in an attempt to receive a hug. Instead they ended up getting covered with half a gallon of milk.

Scootaloo snuck in after the two other fillies. "I told you that you shouldn't rush in an apologize. You didn't even have to bring it up in the first place."

"Bring what up?" Twilight asked as Big Macintosh slipped the baby book under a couch cushion.

"We ruined your Hearts and Hooves Day!" Apple Bloom said.

Sweetie Belle started to tear up a bit. "We're so sorry."

"It's alright, girls. It's in the past, but look at you _now_," Twilight chastised the young fillies.

Big Macintosh walked over to his sister and ran his hoof through her soaked mane. "You two are going to need a bath."

"But it's the middle of the day," Scootaloo complained for the two guilty fillies.

While Big Macintosh bathed the fillies Twilight set Scootaloo up with the card supplies. She ended up making such a mess that she needed a bath after her friends. This took Twilight telekinetically dragging the young pegasus to the bathroom and holding her down while she scrubbed the filly's fur and mane free of glitter, glue, and ink. It took the girls two hours to finish the invitations because Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom both kept trying to help Twilight with her own chores.

"Enough!" Twilight called out as she turned Apple Bloom away from her bedroom for the fourth time that afternoon. "Are the invitations done?"

"Yes they are," Sweetie Bell closed the last envelope.

"Cutie Mark Crusader Delivery fillies ready to go!" Scootaloo announced as she rode into the library with her scooter.

Twilight's right eye started to twitch.

"Are you sure you don't need help with anythin' else?" Apple Bloom asked.

Big Macintosh spoke up for the stressing Twilight. "We're fine, why don't you send out the letters?"

"We're on it!" Scootaloo pulled away with the invitations and the fillies in her scooter. Twilight's other eye twitched at a slower pace when she looked at the skid mark the scooter left.

Spike started to clean the skid marks with a bucket and towel. "That was exhausting."

"At least that was the worst of it," Twilight finally stopped twitching.

"Are you sure you wanna go through with this?" Big Macintosh asked his marefriend.

"What else could go wrong?"

* * *

"Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! RAINBOW DASH!" The rainbow maned pegasus was pulled from a blissful nap by the calls of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She glared at them from her cloud over one of Ponyville's parks. She wanted to catch up on all the naps she had been missing because of Twilight's personal crisis.

"What?" She looked down at the trio. Apple Bloom had a megaphone to amplify her voice while Sweetie Belle waved a pair of flags to get Rainbow's attention. Scootaloo decided the honor of passing the letter to Rainbow Dash was the most important role.

"We're having a party!" Sweetie Belle stated.

Scootaloo waved an envelop back and forth. "I hoof made the letter myself."

Rainbow Dash reluctantly left the comfy cloud and landed next to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She opened the envelope, and was almost blinded by the colorful letters and glitter.

**In honor of Twilight Sparkle and Big Macintosh's new relationship, we are having a celebratory dinner tonight at Books and Branches Library at 6:00.**

"You're going to come, right, everyone is gonna be there?" Scootaloo asked.

"Twilight and Big Macintosh know about this, right?"

"It was Twilight's idea," Sweetie Belle said.

"Actually it was Pinkie's but Twilight seemed to like it," Apple Bloom said.

"Who's gonna be there?"

"All of us, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Twilight and Big Macintosh of course, Granny Smith, and mah sister."

"Your sister is going to be there?"

"Of course, its all about family. We're going to deliver her letter after we go to Fluttershy's. We gotta get going so we can come back and get to Sugarcube Corner and help Pinkie Pie."

"We can't wait to see you there!" Scootaloo made the decision for Rainbow Dash. She scooted off before Rainbow Dash could question the crusaders further or say no.

"Bye," Rainbow Dash waved as they left. She flew to the library to find Rarity there with Big Macintosh and Twilight.

"So this party is legitimate then?" Rarity asked. "Rainbow Dash, here to give congratulations to the lucky couple."

"What's going on?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"We got caught up in the moment when Apple Bloom found out about the relationship and decided to throw a party," Twilight said.

"It's going to go great," Big Macintosh forced a smile.

"Your sister-" Rainbow Dash began.

"Won't explode in front of Apple Bloom, and the party will at least force her to deal with it," Big Macintosh said..

Rarity smiled reassuringly. "This plan sounds fabulous."

* * *

Applejack grinned and beared it when Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo handed her the invite to Twilight and Big Macintosh's party. Apple Bloom was hard enough to resist, but she could not say no to the three pairs of large, expecting eyes.

After a few hours of apple bucking to work off her anger, she walked Granny Smith to the library. "Ain't this party gonna be fun Applejack?" Granny Smith suggested.

"Sure, gonna be a real hoot."

"I know Big Macintosh's relationship was a bit of a surprise but it is all okay if he is happy, right?"

"His happiness, right."

"If not for him, how about for Apple Bloom. She was all excited about deliverin' that letter. You know as well as I do this party just ain't for the happy couple."

Applejack sighed and released a couple days worth of tension. "I'll be on my best behavior."

Granny Smith smacked the young mare on the shoulder affectionately as they reached the entrance of the library. "Good on you." A tastefully decorated library awaited the earth ponies. Paper streamers of warm orange, red, and yellow hung from the ceiling, interwoven with purple and blue flowers. A single table with a yellow cloth was set to one side, covered with hors d'oeuvres, drinks, desserts, and a main meal of egg salad.

Applejack's friends stood scattered around the room. Big Macintosh had the attention of Rainbow Dash, Spike, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle. Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy stood to one side. Applejack watched as Twilight whispered something into Fluttershy's ears, and the yellow pegasus's eyes widened momentarily. Applejack was not sure if it was something Twilight said or if it was because Applejack was here.

Twilight's eyes followed Fluttershy's gaze and she spoke up upon seeing the last invitees. "Ah Applejack, Granny Smith you're here." The unicorn now had the attention of everypony in the room and decided to use it as an opportunity speak. "I want to thank you all for coming here today, and would further like to thank Pinkie Pie for setting up the decorations and food for our dinner tonight. Does anyone know where she is?"

"She just said her Pinkie Sense was stringing and that she had a surprise for you," Sweetie Belle was the only one with any idea.

"Stringing?" Twilight repeated.

"It's just Pinkie Pie, you had something more to say," Rarity said.

Twilight found herself at a loss for words when she considered Pinkie Pie's potential surprises. Big Macintosh spoke up for the suddenly nervous mare. "We just wanted to thank you all for being there for us and supporting our relationship-" he shot his sister a look before continuing, "-Ah know its probably a surprise to everyone, but it works for us and that's all that matters in the end..." Big Macintosh trailed off as he looked outside.

Every pony in the room turned their attention to an inflating Celestia bounce house just outside the library. There was a solid minute of silence as everypony gazed at the structure. "Pinkie Pie?" Applejack called from the doorway.

The pink pony appeared from the opposite side of the bounce house. She hopped over to her friends. "What's that for?"

"I'm not sure, I just know that I needed it," Pinkie Pie explained.

"Pinkie Pie, what is the surprise you said you had earlier?" Twilight pushed passed Applejack.

"Well my Pinkie Sense said I needed to go to the train station and I waited there for forty five minutes, but then my spleen told me whoever is coming to surprise you will find their own way and that I need to set up the bounce house immediately for their arrival," Pinkie Pie explained.

Twilight scratched her head. A question started to form on her lips when a blue unicorn stallion rounded the bounce house. "Dad?"

"Twilight," Night Light ran over to his daughter and hugged her.

"Is Twilight here?" Velvet emerged a second after her husband.

"What are you doing here?" Twilight asked her parents as she hugged her mother.

Velvet jumped with joy. "We received your letter."

"And you came immediately?" Twilight asked.

Velvet could barely contain her excitement. "You said you have something important to tell us."

Twilight sighed as she looked at her father. "She figured it out."

"Give me a break Twilight, you're my daughter and I write an advice column. I know how to read between the lines. Now where is the lucky stallion?"

"That would be me ma'am. I'm Macintosh Apple, but everypony calls me Big Macintosh," Big Macintosh emerged from the library a moment later. He pressed himself against his marefiend affectionately. Applejack watched the meeting with interest. What did not occur was an awkward silence or anger like she expected.

"He's handsome," Velvet complimented the red stallion.

Night Light was quiet for a moment before extending his hoof. "It's nice to meet you, son."

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir," Big Macintosh shook the hoof vigorously

The moment was broken when Velvet's gaze turned towards the mares trying to discreetly watch the meeting from the Library windows. Discreetly in Fluttershy and Rarity's case, Granny Smith, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and the fillies gawked openly. "Is something going on?"

"We're just having a party," Twilight explained.

"For our arrival, how did you know?" Night Light asked.

Before Twilight could answer Pinkie Pie spoke. "Your other guests are here!"

Everypony looked towards the sky as a dark green meteor aimed for the library. Instead it struck the inflatable Celestia, popping the structure. The meteor shattered like glass, revealing that it had been a spell shield containing three stallions and a royal carriage. "That was pretty good for your first time, Young Blood," Silver Lining said as he emerged from the carriage and deflating bounce house.

"I feel sick," Young Blood crawled out of the wreckage.

"Your landing could use some work Silver Lining," Shining Armor was the last one to emerge from the crashed carriage and destroyed bounce house.

"Shining Armor?" Twilight asked. Applejack backed into the library when she realized her letter had a quicker reaction than she intended. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you," Shining Armor said.

"Your sister is perfectly fine Shining Armor," Night Light said.

"Didn't you get a letter?" Shining Armor asked.

"We did, from your sister. Did you send something to your brother?" Velvet asked.

"Twilight didn't send me anything," Shining Armor said.

Big Macintosh chose the worst time to be friendly. "Ah think there may be some misconceptions happening here."

Shining Armor turned towards the red stallion, the fact he butted into a family discussion riling up the already agitated Shining Armor. "Who are you?"

Twilight put herself between her coltfriend and her brother. "This is my coltriend, Big Macintosh."

Shining disappeared in a flash of magic. Big Macintosh twisted his head around, looking for his marefriend's brother. His head whipped back around painfully as the sucker punch connected. He slumped to the ground, dazed, blood dribbling from his busted nose and a coppery taste spreading over his tongue. Applejack galloped to her brother's side, he was already trying to rise.

Shining Armor's horn started to glow again, but he found himself caught up in a familiar purple aura. He tried to teleport again, but was held fast. Twilight sagged on her hooves as he made a third attempt, but he remained anchored.

Night Light interposed himself between the two younger stallions. His son continued to struggle against Twilight's magic as the big, red stallion rose on unsteady legs.

"Macintosh." Applejack rose a hoof to help steady her brother, but he shrugged it off.

"Ah'm fine." He spat a mouthful of blood into a nearby bush.

By this time, both parents had moved between the two. Velvet stomped a hoof indignantly, trying in vain to get her irate son's attention. "That was uncalled for, young man!"

"You should be ashamed of yourself, using a technique like that on an innocent civilian!" His father stared him in the eyes.

"Innocent my ass, he's a married stallion carrying on with _my_sister!" He made another teleportation attempt, trying to get at the red stallion again.

The purple aura around him flickered and failed. The fighting paused, a loud thump echoed through the stillness as Twilight collapsed.


	13. Chapter 13: Between Family

**Family Matters**  
**Chapter 13: Between Family**

"TWILIGHT!" Big Macintosh and Shining Armor yelled in unison as she collapsed. Shining Armor grunted as Big Macintosh barreled passed him to get to Twilight. The unicorn slammed into the trunk of the library tree but managed to stay on his hooves.

"Get out of-" Shining Armor stamped the ground and huffed angrily and was about to charge the red stallion. Everpony watched in amazement as Night Light charged his son first, the older stallion's hooves glowing light blue with magic. Night Light struck Shining Armor in several areas across his chest; electricity erupted from his hooves with each strike. Shining Armor collapsed, his eyes turning white as he fell.

"Night Light!" Velvet chastised her husband.

The blue stallion rubbed the back of his head but defended himself. "He'll be fine in a couple of minutes."

"What was that?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"That's Tai Kwan Doe, a legendary magical martial art, can you show us more?" Scootaloo ran from the library to plant herself at Night Light's feet. "What level master are you? Where did you study? Is that the only blocking move you know?"

"Scootaloo, please," Rarity exited the library and attempted to calm the young filly down. Everypony started to speak at once. Spike rushed over to the fallen Twilight as Big Macintosh gently stroked her mane. She blinked once, twice, and a third time before she focused her gaze.

"Are you alright?" Big Macintosh asked.

She staggered to her hooves, nodding weakly. She screwed her eyes shut against the nausea threatening to overtake her. Standing, eyes closed and motionless, she took in several deep, soothing breaths. "Just stress."

"Really?" Spike lifted an eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"Well no but I'm fine. Spike, whatever happens I want you to stay here. Okay?" Twilight asked. The young dragon reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Twilight, are you alright, darling!?" Velvet's motherly concern ceased the inane chatter of the surrounding ponies.

"I'm fine, really." Despite her assurances, Twilight wobbled a little.

"Are you sure you shouldn't go to a doctor?" Rarity suggested.

"I think that would be best," Twilight said and took charge of the situation despite her previous spell. She looked towards the group but focused on Young Blood despite her own problems. The young stallion was even more shaky on his hooves. "Young Blood, are you alright?"

Young Blood wobbled on his feet. "I'm fine."

Silver Lining replied to Twilight honestly. "He held a Negating Shield all the way here from Canterlot."

Twilight sighed. "Young Blood, you know you don't have the magical reserves to perform an extended spell like that without serious harm to yourself."

"I'm fine, Twile," Young Blood tried to reassure her.

Twilight turned to Rarity. "No your not. Rarity, could you monitor his reserves and replenish them if he needs help?"

"I'll get right on it. Do you think you can come with me to my home? A calmer area will help with your healing if you need it. " Rarity slid along side the stallion and helped support his weight. Young Blood reluctantly leaned against the strange mare. "Fluttershy, can you come with us and monitor his physical signs?"

"Of course," Fluttershy walked to the other side of Rarity. A glare from the white unicorn mare sent her to the other side of Young Blood before the three walked off.

"Twilight, if you need to go to the hospital we should get going now." Velvet tried to return Twilight's concern to her own well being.

Before Twilight could say anything Scootaloo spoke up. "What about the party?" From inside the library Sweetie Belle and Applebloom rolled their eyes at their friend's interruption.

"Well, Scootaloo, you and your friends can start dinner without the rest of us," Twilight said. "You'll even have two guards here to regale you with stories about Canterlot. Wouldn't you like that Silver Lining, and I'm sure Shining Armor would like to help as soon as he wakes up."

Silver Lining agreed. "Sounds good to me."

"Rainbow Dash would you come here for a second," Twilight asked. No one heard what Twilight whispered into the pegasus's ear, but a second later she shot off into the evening sky.

"Where's she goin'?" Applejack spoke up.

"Just to warn the doctors we're coming," Twilight lied.

"We should get you too the hospital now and make sure everything is alright," Big Macintosh said.

"Ain't this a family matter?" Applejack commented.

"Yes it is. Ah'll show them the way to the hospital," Big Macintosh said before he walked off with Twilight and her parents following him.

"Shouldn't we be doing something about Twilight's brother?" Granny Smith motioned toward the unconscious stallion.

"He'll be up in a few minutes, ma'am. Nothing will be wrong expect a slight headache," Silver Lining said. "How would you all like to hear a sorry about how Shining Armor and I won the Alfrodull Run with the fastest time on record?"

"Sounds great," Pinkie Pie appeared with a bowl of popcorn. The three filles, Pinkie Pie, and Granny Smith gathered round to listen to Silver Lining's story as Spike and Applejack watched their families depart.

* * *

Shining Armor unsteadily rose. In the library, over dinner Silver Lining distracted the three young fillies and three older mares with stories of his training in the guard. He lived up to his cutie mark with his tale, a writing pen dipped in ink. A gift with telling stories which became useful in the guard with keeping morale up with the troops.

Shining Armor shook his head as Silver Lining decided to tell the story of his disastrous second date with his wife, he had other things to worry about.

"I wouldn't go anywhere if I were you," Shining Armor looked at a branch above his head to discover Rainbow Dash holding some kind balloon.

She looked eager.

"Do you really think you'll be able to stop me with a water balloon?" Shining Armor inquired. He tried to gather a spark of magic though regretted it when pain radiated from his horn. His father had been particularly through in his pressure point strikes.

"Are you feeling lucky?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Twilight told me to make you stay here by whatever means necessary."

"With a water balloon?" Shining Armor made a dash for it. Rainbow Dash lobbed the water balloon over the unicorn and it broke on intact. Blue liquid that wasn't water dribbled over Shining Armor's body followed by a puff of blue smoke.

A moment later a prepubescent Shining Armor stopped in his run. He looked at his small hooves and lack of cutie mark in horror. "How did you turn me into a foal?" Shining Armor's voice cracked.

Applejack came out of the library to discover a strange foal trying to climb up the tree to get at a hysterically laughing Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, what did you do?"

Rainbow Dash flew out of the tree and landed next to Applejack. Shining Armor charged the mare but she held him back with an outstretched hoof.

"CHANGE ME BACK!"

"I just threw one of Zecora's experimental poison joke bombs on him. They were designed to be non-lethal."

"And only supposed to be used on Changelings," Applejack protested.

"A poison joke what?" Shining Armor's voice cracked again as he tried to figure out what was happening.

"It is a weapon that the Princess asked Twilight Sparkle and our zebra friend Zecora to make," Applejack explained. "Poison joke is a plant that does strange thing's ta ponies when its inhaled. Princess Celestia thought it could be used against enemies"

Shining Armor twitched at the idea of his sister developing a weapon of any type. "What?"

"There's a cure," Applejack tried to reassure the temporarily young stallion.

"Twilight said not to give it to you until an hour passed," Rainbow Dash added.

"What?"

"Rainbow, go get the cure from Aloe and Lotus now!"

Rainbow Dash gestured to a jug she left up in the crook of a branch of the library tree. "I already have it and I promised Twilight I would not give this hot head the cure until he calmed down."

"I am sorry that I am mad about my sister carrying on with a married stallion!" Shining Armor yelled. Inside the library Silver Lining decided to add sound effect to his current tale as the yelling outside got louder.

"What?" Rainbow Dash responded with a yell.

Applejack started to back away slowly.

"Your Element of Honesty!" Shining Armor pointed an accusing hoof at Applejack. "Sent me a letter saying that my sister was having an affair with a stallion."

"Applejack, how could you?"

"Ah didn't write anythin' like that."

"You used the affair? What else was I supposed to think!"

"Ah'm sorry, ah was just upset and didn't use the right words."

"That's no excuse Applejack."

"Ah said ah was sorry. Ah didn't mean for all this to happen."

"But it did because you're absolutely insane when it comes to anything involving your brother!"

"Ah ah..." Applejack's eyes darted back and forth between the angry Rainbow Dash and confused Shining Armor. She ran off.

"That's right, Applejack, just run away from your problems!" Rainbow Dash called as the earth pony retreated into the dark. "I hope you think before you talk with your sister." She grabbed the jug of poison joke cure and doused the stallion with it. Rainbow Dash escaped into the library as Shining Armor tried to piece together the events over the past few hours.

* * *

Fluttershy offered a comforting hoof to the exhausted Young Blood, soothing strokes that took the edge off the stallion's exhaustion and made staying awake bearable. Despite his maleness and strangeness, just could not let any creature or pony in need suffer. He stretched into her touch but did not lean.

"Just a few more moments," Rarity tried to concentrate on resonating her magic with Young Blood. It was a simple process all unicorns learned in their youth; mixing and matching their magics to perform tasks. After the resonance reached perfect pitch, by her light blue aura mixing with his green aura to make a shared purple color; it would be easy for Rarity to reach into Young Blood's reserves and check his magic.

The strange stallion was ready but Rarity was not. She did not want to make assumptions of strangers, but an implied history with Twilight and a suspected relation with another bloody unicorn of Canterlot set Rarity on edge. Finally their different aura's matched and Rarity was able to sense Young Blood's reserves. Drastically reduced but nothing dangerous, he just needed time to rest and regain his magic. She had never resonated with anyone with so small of reserve though; Young Blood might as well have been an Earth pony.

"Your reserves should be fine if after a good night's sleep and side effects will be minimal if you don't strain yourself," Rarity explained. "I have a tea that should help with your physical symptoms."

"That's very kind of you, Miss Rarity."

Rarity twitched. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your tea. Fluttershy why don't you keep our guest company."

An awkward moment followed as Fluttershy tried to find something to say. "So…"

"Your Ponyville's park ranger right?" Young Blood decided to jump right into the conversation.

"Yes," Fluttershy spoke quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm Ponyville's park ranger."

The stallion tried to be friendly with the mare he knew so well. "I apologize if I am being forward it just feels like I know you all so well. Auntie Celly allows me access to Twilight's friendship reports. She speaks highly and fondly of all of you."

Fluttershy began to tremble at the idea of the guardspony's opinion. "Sometimes Twilight's letters are exaggerations of the events; I mean not that Twilight ever lies but there is potentially some bias there considering they're all from just her perspective. How could I say that out loud? Twilight's one of my best friends and she would never speak badly of me."

"It's alright." The stallion tried to reassure the mare. "Twilight's opinion is so high, and even with the problems with Grand Galloping Gala I have yet to see anything that could color my opinion of you."

"You were at the Grand Galloping Gala?"

"I was sort of mauled by the animals you riled up?"

The pegasus started to bite her lips as she remembered the Gala. "I caused the animals to maul you?"

"It was nothing; the animals get nutty on a monthly schedule anyway with the way the Nobles treat them. It was nothing out of the normal actually and my mother calmed them down."

She sniffed back her tears. "What does your mother do with the animals there?"

"She's the Royal Garden's Head Ranger."

"Your mother is the Lady Cape Mountain?"

"Yes."

Caught between her nerves and a sudden thirst for knowledge, the shy mare took an aggressive path. In her own manner. "If you wouldn't mind, and if you're not too busy or in pain or tired, could you answer my questions?"

"Of course," Young Blood answered. What followed was several minutes of quiet though hurried conversation as Young Blood explained his entire life experience in Canterlot's Royal Gardens.

Rarity pressed her ear so hard against the door separating the front rooms from her back rooms that she risked pushing it open. She could not believe what she was hearing. To think that Young Blood was the product of the famous Blood Knight and Cape Mountain affair, and that Fluttershy was warming to this strange stallion faster than any male resident of of Ponyville.

Karma decided to punish the white unicorn for her eavesdropping when the door swung open into her face. "Is the tea…" Fluttershy entered the back room to discover the tea kettle boiling over and staggering, bloody-nosed Rarity attempting to stay on her hooves. "Rarity!"

* * *

After arriving at the hospital and being checked in, an awkward half hour followed for Twilight's coltfriend and parents, as the mare in question decided to see the doctor alone. Inquiries about his farm, their lives in Canterlot, and the weather could only go so far. The young stallion and older ponies shuffled their hooves awkwardly as they waited for Twilight's prognosis. "Twilight's ready to see you now," a nurse declared.

The earth pony and unicorns followed the nurse into a ward where Twilight was finishing up her paperwork. The nurse shut the door behind the small family, leaving them in relative privacy. "Is everything alright?" Big Macintosh broke the ice.

"Everyone is alright," Twilight explained. Despite her parent's presence and his own nerves, the stallion walked over to his marefriend to take his place by her side. "Mom, Dad, I don't have anyway to say this gently, but I'm pregnant."

Velvet's scream threatened to shatter the the hospital windows if not for the enchantment Twilight had placed on them earlier. "My baby's having a baby!" Mother ran over to daughter to hug her. Behind the mares Night Light jumped up and down excitedly and waited his turn.

So disoriented by Velvet's earlier screech, Big Macintosh was not prepared when the screamer in question took him into a bone crushing hug that rivaled anything an earth pony could give.

"I can't wait to be a grandpa," Night Light hugged his daughter gently and respected her coltfriend's space by shaking his hoof vigorously.

A day's worth of tension eased from Twilight's spine as she leaned against the still dazed Big Macintosh. "I'm so glad you're taking this so well."

Velvet reassured her daughter. "It's not like we can condemn you. After all I had your brother when I was twenty and your father was eighteen."

"We're happy as long as you're happy," Night Light added.

"At least some ponies are," Twilight sighed as she thought of her brother. "You guys didn't tell Shining Armor anything, did you... he mentioned receiving a letter?"

"We set out for Ponyville today after receiving yours. We have no idea how your brother found out," Night Light explained.

"Then who sent him the letter?" Twilight asked.

"Applejack." Big Macintosh sighed his sister's name.

"She wouldn't."

"She might."

"What's the Element of Honesty have to do with this?" Night Light asked.

Big Macintosh and Twilight glanced sidelong at one another. The stallion tried to find the right words, but his mare said it perfectly. "It's just another issue to deal with. Right now let's just handle Shining Armor."

* * *

The library was clean; leftover food stored for later and what decorations that could be saved were packed away. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had left with the ancient Apple matriarch over half an hour earlier for an impromptu sleepover. Shining Armor would be touring their clubhouse the following morning whether he wanted to or not. After the clean up, Silver Lining left with a wink to his captain before following Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash out of the library to see Ponyville's nightlife. Shining Armor did not let himself think of the older guardpony's ulterior motives. He was just being a buck and trying to rile his captain further. Shining Armor had enough on his plate without having to think of the virtues of two of the Elements of Harmony.

Spike yawned before deciding to shock Shining Armor. "So the only reason you haven't run out after Twilight is because you feel bad about what you did today?"

The stallion gasped for words but nothing came out as he tried to find a witty retort.

"Spike!" Twilight warned as she entered the library with Big Macintosh close behind.

Despite the waiting punishment for his earlier sarcasm, the dragon ran over to the mare for a hug. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Twilight forgot her chastising words in favor of comforting the dragon. "Would you mind showing my parents the way to the inn? They're going to get rooms."

"Alright." Spike gave Shining Armor a look before leaving the three ponies behind in the library.

Several awkward moment followed as everyone tried to find the right words. Twilight tried to start. "Shining Armor…"

Shining Armor cut her off. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come rushing here to defend your honor like you couldn't handle yourself."

"That's very mature of you," Twilight reluctantly admitted.

Shining Armor gestured to Big Macintosh. "In my defense this one's sister wrote me a letter that you were carrying on an affair with a stallion."

Big Macintosh let his head hang for a moment. "Of course she did."

"That's not an excuse, but did she actually write you telling you were having an affair?" Twilight asked.

"I think it was a poor choice of words instead of your friend actively lying," Shining Armor said. "Either way, I let my temper get out of control and caused a lot of problems because of it."

Twilight look towards her coltfriend. "It's alright with me if it is alright with with Big Macintosh."

"It's alright with me," Big Macintosh accepted the apology. "Sometimes a kept secret is worse when it is let out."

"Thank you, Big Macintosh, you're a better stallion then I am." Shining Armor extended his hoof in friendship.

Big Macintosh looked at the hoof and Shining Armor's turn around before sighing. "Speaking of kept secrets."

"Now?" Twilight practically whined.

"It's like a band aid. Better to rip it off quick and deal with the pain then slowly and let it linger." Shining Armor glanced nervously between the couple. He clamped his lips shut so he would not speak his thoughts. _Oh sweet sunlight they had sex and he gave her a parasite._

"Shining Armor, you have to promise me that you won't get angry."

"I promise."

"I'm pregnant," Twilight said. Her brother stamped the floor before glaring at Big Macintosh. His sister's stare kept him from taking physical action. The couple blinked as Twilight's brother teleported outside. There was a muffled yell before appeared back in the library in a spectacular blast of magical energy that singed his tail. Twilight conjured a fan to waft away the smoke. "Feeling better?"

"Yes," Shining Armor said. "How did this happen?"

"It just did, do you really want me to go into details?"

"No." Shining Armor ran his hooves through his mane going into protective mode. "When do you plan on returning to Canterlot?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well you can't think about raising a foal out here. You don't have your own home, and you only retain your stipend as long as you work and continue your studies. You won't be able to do all that and raise a foal."

"I can move in with Big Macintosh at Sweet Apple Acres if I need to," Twilight countered.

"No," Shining Armor said. "I am not letting you live on that farm after all the trouble this one's sister caused."

"I'm twenty two, Shining Armor, I can make my own decisions."

"If you had made the right decisions you wouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place."

"Enough." Big Macintosh disrupted the argument. "Twilight, your brother is being an absolute ass about it." Shining Armor glared at Big Macintosh. "But he is right. Ah cain't raise a foal on that farm."

"How are you going to provide for my sister then?"

"I'll figure something out. I'm going to leave before I say something that I regret. Twilight, ah'll see you tonight." Big Macintosh kissed his marefriend before leaving.

After Big Macintosh left Twilight held the door open with her magic. "I hope you're happy with yourself."

"He's the one who is running away from his problems."

"No, Shining Armor, he is going to handle them. I think you should leave."

"Twili-"

"I said now. I don't want to see you again until you have an actual apology for myself and Big Macintosh."

Shining Armor huffed but walked out of the library. The door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

Big Macintosh considered the silent farm house. It was safe to assume that the Cutie Mark Crusaders were off in their clubhouse, out of sight and hearing of any possible argument. He entered the discover Granny Smith sweeping the floor, or attempting to sweep the floor. She barely had enough strength and dexterity to push the dirt, never mind moving it into a dust bucket or out the door. "Ah, Big Macintosh, you're here, can ya help me with this chore?"

Big Macintosh sighed. "A'hm sorry, granny, I cain't do that right now. Where's Applejack?"

"In her room," the old mare reluctantly admitted.

"Ah gotta go talk to her."

"Macintosh."

"Yes, granny?"

"Don't say anythin' you're gonna regret," the old mare warned.

Big Macintosh left her to her distraction before climbing the stairs. A soft light emanated from his sister's room, he discovered her crying over her picture of the family. "Applejack, we need to talk about that letter you sent to Twilight's brother."

Applejack sniffed back the tears and rubbed her face on her forelimb to hide her crying. "Ah already said ah was sorry about that and using the wrong words. Ah didn't expect him to react like that."

"You said we was having an affair?"

"You was carrying on a romance weren't you?"

"He thought Twilight was carrying on with a married stallion."

"And ah already said ah was sorry!"

Big Macintosh huffed once and bit his tongue before continuing. "That ain't the point. Mah relationship with Twilight was not your information to share with her family!"

"Well you both weren't doing any sharing. Somepony had to!" Applejack pulled her hat down over her eyes and crossed her forelimbs over the picture. She did look up when she heard a slam.

Big Macintosh was heaving in anger, behind him her door had been bucked off its hinges and into the opposite wall. "Listen, AJ, ah don't want to be playing these games any more. Twilight is gonna be apart of my life whether you want it or not, and we are going to be getting married because she's havin' my foal!"

Applejack blinked. "She's what?"

"Twilight's pregnant, we're gonna have a foal by next spring."

The sound of shattering glass followed as Applejack threw her photo against the wall. "How could she do this to us?"

Big Macintosh sighed. "Twilight didn't do anything to us. It is just something that happened to me and her, and frankly ah'm happy it did."

"How could you be happy 'bout this; you ain't even married!"

"Because ah needed a change in mah life, and this is as good as an opportunity as any." Big Macintosh visibly calmed down as his sister started to shake. "Applejack, ah'm sorry that you have this anger but it is gonna have to be something you have on your own. Ah'm gonna be leavin' in a couple of days, and ah'm gonna hire Caramel as a farm hand to cover mah work."

Applejack stopped shaking, though tears started to form in her eyes. "Where are you going?"

"Out west to talk to mom, then back to Canterlot with Twilight if that plan doesn't work out."

"How could you even consider talkin' to that mare after everything she did?"

"That mare did everything she could to take care of us. It wasn't her fault Auger did everything he could to drive her away and sink his claws into us." Big Macintosh expected the hit and turned his body to take it into his shoulder.

Both ponies paused, Applejack let out a final huff of exhaustion before speaking. "Big Macintosh..."

"Ah don't want to hear anything from you now," Big Macintosh rubbed his shoulder before walking off.

"Please don't leave me, Granny, and Apple Bloom!" Applejack begged.

"Ah won't be leaving Apple Bloom. She'll be going with me to visit mom early this summer."

"You're going to drag her into the middle of this?"

"Ah won't be saying anything to her and you won't be either if you ever want to see me again," Big Macintosh warned his sister before leaving.

"Big Macintosh, BIG MACINTOSH!" Applejack yelled one last time before falling upon the floor in a pool of tears. She heard a muffled conversation down stairs before the door slammed.

Pained hoof steps followed as Granny Smith climbed the stairway. The ancient mare collected her breath, it felt like the yearly cider season and zap apple harvest were the only things that kept her going these days. "Applejack…"

Applejack slammed the floor before her. "He's leavin' me granny. Just like pa, mom, and grandpa. He's gonna be gone and ain't never gonna come back!"

Granny Smith sat on the floor and took her wailing granddaughter into her embrace. "He ain't leaving you Applejack. He's just going off to find himself and fix some things. It might be a good time for you to try that too." Applejack sniffed once before continuing to cry.


End file.
